Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU Department of Athletics announced Thursday that the College Hockey America (CHA) Board of Directors has voted unanimously to reinstate the women's hockey program back into the conference. RMU's reinstatement as a full member is effective immediately, and the Colonials will return to competition in the CHA for the 2023-24 season.
"On behalf of the College Hockey America Board of Directors, I want to welcome Robert Morris University back to the CHA," said CHA Commissioner Robert M. DeGregorio. "We're excited to have RMU back in the conference and look forward to seeing the Colonials on the ice competing in the CHA in 2023-24."
The Colonials rejoin the CHA after the RMU Board of Trustees agreed to reinstate the men's and women's programs Dec. 17, 2021. Following the reinstatement of the programs, RMU applied for readmittance to the CHA earlier this year and that request was granted with the CHA Board's recent vote.
"We couldn't be more excited to be rejoining a conference in the CHA that we're both familiar with and have had success in," RMU Vice President & Director of Athletics
Chris King '94 said. "I'd like to thank CHA Commissioner Robert DeGregorio for providing us the opportunity to rejoin the league as well as for his support throughout the last year. His leadership and vision for the league made it natural for us when we reinstated our programs and were looking for a conference home. We're looking forward to reigniting the rivalries we established when we originally competed in the CHA."
RMU named
Logan Bittle head coach of the women's program
March 3, 2022. A native of Peoria, Ill., Bittle returned to the Colonials spending the last year with the Pens Elite 19U Girls Prep and 16U Girls teams. Prior to joining the Pens, Bittle spent 10 years at RMU, the first as an assistant coach and the last six as associate head coach of the women's program.
"It's great to be back in the CHA," Bittle said. "It has been home to our program since our inception. We've seen the league grow to where it is today and we're excited to jump back in and help continue to grow the league well into the future."
The Colonials were a member of the CHA from 2005 to 2021, compiling an overall record of 239-248-57 (.492), including a league mark of 124-117-34 (.513). RMU earned three CHA regular-season championships (2017, 2018, 2019) as well as three CHA Tournament titles (2012, 2017, 2021) during its first run as a member of the conference.
ABOUT COLLEGE HOCKEY AMERICA (CHAWomensHockey.com)
College Hockey America is marking its 20th season of competition in 2021-22. The five-team NCAA Division I conference consists of Lindenwood University (Lions), Mercyhurst University (Lakes), Penn State University (Nittany Lions), Rochester Institute of Technology (Tigers) and Syracuse University (Orange). The CHA will grow to six teams with the return of RMU (Colonials) for the 2023-24 season.
ABOUT RMU ATHLETICS (RMUColonials.com)
From its fertile beginning as a men's basketball junior college powerhouse to one of the most diverse athletic programs in the Pittsburgh tri-state area, RMU offers 17 intercollegiate athletic programs, including the only NCAA Division I men's and women's hockey and men's lacrosse programs in the region. Over the last 45 years, the Colonials have claimed 52 conference regular season and 53 league tournament titles.
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