Pittsburgh, Pa. – Robert Morris University women's hockey head coach Paul Colontino has announced the signing of eight student-athletes for the 2017-18 season.

Emily Curlett (Lapeer, Mich./Little Caesars 19U), Anjelica Diffendal (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Penguins Elite),  Emilie Harley (Syracuse, N.Y./Ontario Hockey Academy), Sarah Lecavalier (Strathmore, Alberta/Pursuit of Excellence), Janey Sandoval (West Fargo, N.D./Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles), Morgan Schauer (Cleveland, Ohio/Pittsburgh Penguins Elite), Molly Singewald (Farmington, Minn./Culver Girls Academy Prep), and Allexan Templeman (Staffa, Ontario/KW Rangers)  will join the Colonials for the 2017-18 academic year.

"We are very excited to welcome this year's class of newcomers to the Robert Morris women's hockey program," said Colontino. "Once again, we feel our staff of Logan Bittle and Chelsea Walkland have done a phenomenal job, not only in identifying and recruiting quality student-athletes, but also quality families. Coach Bittle and Walkland have successfully been able to enhance and increase our depth in all facets of our game. Our size, speed, grit, and finesse will all be significantly impacted with the addition of these student-athletes. Lastly, they all have strong leadership experience from their junior careers, and will enable the next generation of Colonials to uphold the high standards of team chemistry that we pride ourselves on."

Curlett, a defenseman, helped her junior team to the state championship in 2016, 2013, and 2012. Last year, Curlett attended the USA Hockey Select 66 National Camp. She earned a silver medal at the national championship in 2012, and took home bronze in 2015. Curlett has set personal goals to improve her physical strength, speed, and decision-making on the ice, which she hopes will help the Colonials capture another College Hockey America (CHA) Championship and advance further in the NCAA Tournament. Diffendal, a forward, is a Pittsburgh product who collected 39 points (15G-24A-39PTS) for the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite last season. Robert Morris was an easy choice for Diffendal, as she loves the campus and wants to compete at a high level of Division I collegiate hockey in her hometown.
 
Harley, a forward, is the reigning 2017 MVP Female Athlete of the Ontario Hockey Academy. She attended the U18 USA National Development Camp in 2015 and 2016. Last season, she acted as captain of the OHA Tardiff. Her squad captured the championship title at the Detroit-CAN-AM, Detroit Bauer World Invite, and the North Country Shootout. As an assistant captain in 2015-16, Harley helped the OHA Gold Team to first place finishes at Fire on Ice Rochester, the ALS Tournament, and the Lake Placid Showcase. She competed in the USA Hockey Nationals in 2013 and 2011 with the Syracuse Nationals. Harley's biggest inspirations are her parents, who "work unimaginably hard to raise four hockey players and make it look easy."
 
Lecavalier, a forward, has one year of Division I collegiate experience at the University of North Dakota. As a member of the Pursuit of Excellence junior squad, Lecavalier helped her team to the World Sports School Challenge Championship. She is a three-time U18 Team Alberta member and a two-time National Women's U18 Championship bronze medalist. Lecavalier attended the Team Canada U18 May & August Camps. Lecavalier is excited for the great opportunity to play "for a championship caliber team" in the Colonials.
 
Sandoval, a forward, led the Niagara Jr. Purple Eagles to back-to-back New York State Championships in 2017 and 2016.  She is a three-time North Dakota All-State Team member, and led North Dakota in points in 2016, 2015, and 2014. In 2014, Sandoval helped her squad capture the North Dakota State Championship. In the 2016 season at West Fargo High School, Sandoval tabbed 52 goals, 20 assists, and 72 points in 26 games played. Last season with the Minnesota Revolution, Sandoval posted 35 points through 29 outings (29GP: 24G-11A-35PTS). Sandoval attended the USA Hockey Player Development Camp in 2015, 2014, and 2013. Sandoval started playing hockey at the age of four, and has dreams of becoming a doctor.
 
Schauer, a defenseman, is one of two freshmen on the roster who hails from the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite junior hockey program. The 2016 U16 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite squad qualified for the national tournament. Schauer was also selected to attend the USA Hockey National Player Development Camp in 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013. Though many of her relatives hail from Minnesota, Schauer is the first in her family to pursue hockey competitively, and has been playing hockey since she was four years old.
 
Singewald, a goalie, was named Captain, Most Valuable Player, and Player of the Year as a senior with Culver Girls Academy Prep. She was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Cushing Academy Edward G. Watkins Tournament. Singewald earned All-Conference honors as a freshman, and was named Rookie of the Year in 8^th grade, as she started on the Farmington High School Girls Varsity team that year. She is also a USA Multi-District Goalie Camp Participant. Singewald can still recall the moment she realized she was meant to be in net. "My best friend and I decided to make the switch from figure skating to hockey in third grade," she recollected. "It only took two practices for me to decide I wanted to try being a goalie."
 
Templeman, a forward, wore the "C" for the KW Rangers in 2016-17, and 2015-16. She led her squad in scoring in 2015-16, and ranked in the top 10 in the league. Templeman was named captain of Team Ontario Blue in 2016. Her squad finished sixth in the league out of 20 teams in 2016-17. Her career numbers include 108 games played, 26 goals, 46 assists, 72 points, and 28 penalty minutes. She attended the NAPS Camp in 2015, and the Rush Hockey Camp in 2015 and 2014. When Templeman visited RMU, she knew it was the right fit. "When I first met the coaching staff, they were extremely nice and so welcoming, and the campus was gorgeous. I immediately fell in love and knew Robert Morris would be perfect for me."
 
Robert Morris unofficially opens the 2017-18 season with an exhibition contest on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 84 Lumber Arena.

 
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