PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Fresh off its fourth consecutive College Hockey America championship game appearance, the Robert Morris University women's hockey team is primed for another run at the title in 2021 thanks in part to a reloaded roster featuring a promising crop of freshman set to make their debuts for RMU this season.

Molly Pedone, Ellie Marcovsky, Nikki LaGue, and Chace Sperling all help bolster a deep and experienced roster that has won more CHA games than any other team in the conference since 2018 as well as four of the last five regular season titles.   

"We are very excited for the arrival of our four new Colonials," head coach Paul Colontino said.  "Molly, Ellie, Nikki, and Chace are all exceptional individuals both on and off the ice. In what can be considered a small class in terms of numbers, it was very important to us that each incoming Colonial have the ability to play a major role in the continued growth of the program and our presence in the community." 

LaGue and Sperling will give the Colonials some new options on a strong blue line already featuring the senior duo of Emily Curlett and Emilie Harley as well as juniors Gillian Thompson, Wasyn Rice and sophomore Anna Fairman, all of whom played at least 30 games last season.

LaGue comes to RMU with some instant name recognition for Colonials fans, as she is the cousin of former RMU standout Maggie LaGue.  The Vermont native spent the last two seasons playing for North American Hockey Academy White of the JWHL, where she collected one goal and nine points in 28 career games.

She also spent time with NAHA Red as well as the Vermont Shamrocks organization, including the 2018 campaign where she helped lead the Shamrocks to an appearance in the 2018 USA Hockey U16 National Championship game after scoring the game-tying goal in the semi-final.

Sperling, meanwhile, spent last season playing for Pursuit of Excellence in the CSSHL, posting two goals and six points in ten games.  Before that, she spent three prolific seasons patrolling the blue line for the Saskatoon Stars, racking up an impressive 44 points in 82 games en route to leading the Stars to regular season and Western Conference championship in 2018.

Marcovsky, meanwhile, is the latest in a long line of home-grown talent choosing to stay in Western Pa. and play their college hockey for RMU.

The Mt. Lebanon native spent time with the Pens Elite program growing up, including a stint under head coach and former Colonial Cobina Delaney '13.  She spent last year with the U19 Selects Academy program, and prior to that, the forward posted 26 points in 29 games over two seasons playing for NAHA White, including 16 goals.

Pedone rounds things out for the RMU rookie class, another forward with scoring touch who joins the Colonials after four years at Shattuck St. Mary's in Fairbault, Mn.

The Trinity, Florida native posted 19 goals and 43 points in 167 games playing primarily as a center for the Shattuck U16 squad before playing 14 games with the U19 squad during her senior season.

"All four student-athletes have exceptional leadership skills, work ethic, and families that run parallel with the core values and culture of the program. It's an exciting time for Colonial hockey, and the addition of these four highly talented individuals, along with our experienced and tightly bonded returners should make for an exciting year," Coach Colontino said.