Women's Hockey | 9/25/2018 12:26:00 PM

PITTSBURGH -- The Robert Morris women's hockey team continues to be recognized by the national media as one of the fastest-growing programs in NCAA Division I.

The Colonials have received votes in the 2018-19 USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Women's College Hockey Preseason Poll, released Tuesday. The poll, now in its 22nd year of publication, is conducted each week in conjunction with the American Hockey Coaches Association. It includes input from coaches and journalists representing each of the four D-I women's ice hockey conferences, as well as composite votes from officers of the AHCA and USA Hockey.

RMU came in third of the seven vote recipients outside the top ten:
 

USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine
2018-19 Women's College Hockey Poll - Preseason #1
(First-place votes in parentheses)

Rank	School	Final 2017-18 Rank	2017-18 Record	Weeks in Top 10
1.	Clarkson University, 189 (18)	1	36-4-1	1
2.	University of Wisconsin, 165 (1)	3	31-5-2	1
3.	University of Minnesota, 145	6	24-11-3	1
4.	Boston College, 140	5	30-5-3	1
5.	Colgate University, 119	2	34-6-1	1
6.	Cornell University, 80	7	21-9-3	1
7.	Ohio State University, 73	4	24-11-4	1
8.	Northeastern University, 51	8	19-17-3	1
9.	University of Minnesota Duluth, 33	--	15-16-4	1
10.	Mercyhurst University, 20	10	18-15-4	1

 

Others Receiving Votes: St. Lawrence University, 15; Princeton University, 9; Robert Morris University, 2; Harvard University, 1; Providence College, 1; Quinnipiac University, 1; University of Connecticut, 1.

Minimally, the Colonials have received votes in 42 straight USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls since November of 2016, extending their program record streak. During this unprecedented period of national exposure, they have earned back-to-back CHA regular-season crowns and the team's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.

Robert Morris (21-8-4, 14-3-3 in 2017-18) is coming off its third season of 20 or more wins in program history, all of which have happened under eighth-year head coach Paul Colontino. RMU tuned up for the regular campaign with a 6-1 exhibition win over the Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) at the Island Sports Center this past Saturday.

This year's team returns junior assistant captain Jaycee Gebhard, as well as senior tri-captain Amber Rennie, to an offense that set an RMU single-season record for goals (122) in 2017-18. The Saskatchewan duo are among the top ten in program history in career points, having spent the majority of last season together on Colontino's top line.

Defensively, senior tri-captains Maggie LaGue, the Robert Morris career leader in assists among defenders, and Kirsten Welsh, the 2018 CHA Defender of the Year and the program's all-time leader in points by a blue-liner, are also back.

In 2018-19, the Colonials will play ten of their 14 non-conference games against teams that made last season's final USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine top ten, beginning with this weekend's opening series versus St. Lawrence. The opening faceoffs are scheduled for Friday night at 7:05 and Saturday at 3:05 p.m. EDT at Colonials Arena.

Once again, all RMU women's hockey home games will be streamed live on the CHA Digital Network (subscription required), with Gero von Dehn and Bob Kennedy providing play-by-play and color commentary.

Fans can call 412-397-4949 for information on 2018-19 regular season tickets.

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