Pittsburgh, Pa. – Two Colonials alumnae who competed for the Robert Morris University women's hockey team, Morgan Beikirch and Ashley Vesci, have been named practice players for the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) for the 2016-17 season.

Beikirch played for the Colonials from 2005 to 2008. In four seasons, the forward from Livonia, N.Y., compiled 28 goals and 41 assists. She made her mark on the Robert Morris record books in her four seasons with the program, and currently ranks eighth all-time in career points (69), tied for eighth in career goals (28), tied for seventh in game-winning goals (five) and tied for seventh in assists.
 
The team captain of the 2015-16 Colonials squad, Vesci makes her professional hockey debut coming off her most productive collegiate season. The Pittsburgh, Pa., native recorded 13 goals, including two game winners, and 10 assists in 35 games played last year. She ranks tied for 10^th all-time in Colonials history in game-winning goals (four) and tied for 10^th in career plus/minus (plus-six).

Both Beikirch and Vesci attended the Buffalo Free Agent Camp in June. Vesci had a good feeling about her chances of making it at the professional level from the very start.

"I actually felt pretty confident because I felt like I hit my peak at the end of my career at RMU," said Vesci, "and all summer I was training with Ty Hennes [skills coach with Pittsburgh Penguins Elite Hockey], Bri [McLaughlin] and [Kelley] Steadman. [Free Agent Camp] was a lot of fun. It was cool to get to meet other girls there. One of the girls trying out, I went to prep school with, so overall it was a really exciting experience."

On July 30^th, just one day before the end of free agency, Vesci received an email from Buffalo Beauts co-head coaches Craig Muni and Ric Seiling offering her a spot on the squad as a practice player.

"I had told [Muni] at the tryout I was happy with that because you're still a part of the team, you still get to keep playing, and that's really what I wanted out of all of this," Vesci stated.
Despite the designation of practice player, Vesci will be ready if called upon to take the ice in a game and compete for the Beauts.

"I feel like I've reached a point where I've matured a lot as a hockey player," she admitted. "When I was a freshman in college, I'd be so nervous about having to prove myself, and that's a lot of pressure. But I think now I've grown to mature and feel confident. I'm just going to go out every day, play hockey, have fun and love every second of it."

In addition to her new position in the NWHL, Vesci has taken on roles as head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite 10U team and assistant coach of the 16U team.

Vesci's passion for and pursuit of hockey has led to a multitude of opportunities.

"Hockey has just given me so much, it's incredible," she stated. "I still get to play and it's also given me a job, so I couldn't be happier."

The past few months have been nothing short of a dream for Vesci. In addition to her advancing to the NWHL and accepting a coaching job in her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa., she also assisted in creating content as an intern for the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

Of all the events that have unfolded in Vesci's life in the few short months since graduation in May, her stint with the Pens was by far the most surreal.

"That was another incredible experience that hockey gave me," Vesci recalled. "Getting the chance to be in the locker room with the team after games, getting quotes from them, just being around them made me feel like part of the team. When they won the Cup I actually cried. I was just so happy. I've never felt that way about hockey since I was a little kid, and seeing them win it all definitely motivated me even more to keep playing."

Beikirch and Vesci join two fellow members of the Colonials family who competed for the Buffalo Beauts in the team's inaugural season last year. Two-time Olympic medalist and RMU's all-time saves leader, goaltender Brianne McLaughlin (2005-08) was the first official signee to the Beauts program in franchise history.
 
Director of Operations Kelley Steadman earned a spot on the Beauts roster as a practice player last season, and turned out to be one of their top producers. Steadman has been promoted to a full-time roster spot for 2016-17 after she racked up 13 goals and seven assists in 10 games played a season ago. She led the league in average points per game (2.00) and earned the first-ever NWHL All-Star Game MVP title.
 
The Buffalo Beauts season kicks off on Friday, Oct. 7 at 7:30 p.m. against the Boston Pride in the HarborCenter in Buffalo, N.Y.
 
 
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