RMU Hockey: Colonials Earn Votes In Both National Preseason Polls
By Matt Gajtka
NEVILLE ISLAND, Pa. – Last spring, the Robert Morris University men’s hockey team made itself known on the national scene with an exhilarating run to the NCAA Tournament.
With the 2014-15 campaign approaching, the Colonials remain in the college hockey conversation, as they earned votes in the twin Division I preseason polls released this week. Both United States College Hockey Online (USCHO.com) and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine had RMU in the nationwide top 30.
The Colonials also received votes in the final two USCHO.com polls of the 2013-14 season, finishing just outside the top 20 with 55 votes in the April 14 edition. The defending Atlantic Hockey Association champions had 27 votes this time around, effectively ranking them 26th.
It was a similar story in the USA Today/USAH Magazine survey, which didn’t include RMU at any point last season. The Colonials tied Ohio State with four votes apiece, placing both schools in the 26th position.
Mercyhurst is the only conference foe to be ranked higher than the Colonials in both polls. The Lakers, who enter the season as the favorite in the AHA coaches’ survey, also found themselves in the “receiving votes” category. Air Force picked up three USCHO votes.
More from Robert Morris University
- Big Week for Robert Morris University Colonials Athletics
- Three Rivers Classic: Hometown team RMU prevails, wins championship
- Three Rivers Classic: Robert Morris vs Penn State recap
- Three Rivers Classic preview: Robert Morris vs Penn State showdown
- Rodney Pryor, RMU guard, named Northeast Conference Player of the Week
Colgate is the highest-ranked team RMU has on its regular-season schedule. The Raiders are fifth according to USA Hockey and sixth (with a first-place vote) on USCHO.com; Colgate will take part in the third-annual Three Rivers Classic at CONSOL Energy Center in late December.
Coincidentally, the team Colgate is guaranteed face in the Three Rivers Classic is also mentioned in one of the polls. USCHO.com has Western Michigan – RMU coach Derek Schooley’s alma mater – receiving 14 votes in its preseason ranking.
In addition, the Colonials will battle Bowling Green (11 votes in USCHO’s poll) twice in early January. The first of those matchups will be the first outdoor game in RMU program history, Jan. 3 at Toledo’s Fifth Third Field.
The Colonials will play a program-record 17 games at 84 Lumber Arena, located at the RMU Island Sports Center. They host Ryerson on Saturday, Oct. 4 to begin their 11th season of NCAA Division I hockey.
This article was initially posted on RMUColonials.com.