Moon Township, Pa. – Heading into the 2023-24 campaign, head coach Derek Schooley and his staff put in many hours of work, recruiting all across the country, adding 23 total players to complete a lineup of 29.
Of those 23 players, 10 are transferring from other colleges and 13 are freshmen beginning their collegiate careers with the Colonials.
In Schooley's long and in-depth search for more talent and youth, it was important for their staff to bring in veterans and young men that can make an immediate impact.
Below, each player explains their reasons for transferring to RMU and/or why they want to begin their collegiate career as a Colonial.
All 23 student-athletes have different reasons, but a common theme was that they believed in Schooley's mission, love the campus, the academics and believe they have a squad that can win…
TRANSFERS
Mitch Andres – "I chose RMU because of the belief I have in the coaching staff and the opportunity to start something special with its first year coming back to the ice."
Francis Boisvert – "I decided to commit to RMU to help rebuild the program even better than it was before. I wanted a second chance in my career and felt like RMU was the place to go. I'm sure this will be a great year with a lot of experience being brought to the table with guys that have played in a different program from all around the country."
Logan Ganie – "I decided to come to play at RMU because it's a great opportunity for me to be a leader on and off the ice, and I want to be a part of building a winning culture here at RMU. It's a great school to continue my education at and will provide me with all the resources I need to succeed."
Luke Johnson – "I chose Robert Morris because of the coaching staff, and the chance to start back up a winning culture at RMU."
Trevor LeDonne – "I chose to come to RMU because of its strong reputation and the opportunity it provides to bring championship hockey back to the community. Additionally, I am excited about the outstanding academic opportunities that RMU offers for my academic and personal growth."
Paul Maust – "As a local athlete of Butler, RMU has been a program that I've looked up to from a young age. RMU hockey has been a trademark of the community, and it's a true honor to help this program toward success in the upcoming season. I'm no stranger to Atlantic hockey and look to use my experience to help this team achieve our goals. Last but not least, it's exciting to pursue an MBA from my father's alma mater. I can't wait to get started."
Rylee St. Onge – "The reason I came to RMU was to have the chance to build up a program that has a winning history in the past and be that foundation for many years to come. Also, the expectation of a winning season with the guys we have coming in this year."
Cade Townend – "I chose to come to RMU to reestablish the winning culture and to utilize my experience to help underclassmen succeed for years to come."
Dallas Tulik – "I came to play my fifth year at RMU because it's a great opportunity to help rebuild a culture and team that has had a successful history. I also respect the coaches and have heard nothing but great things about the school and hockey program from friends and former players."
Chad Veltri – "I chose to play at RMU for the chance to return home and play where I grew up, and to be a part of the return of college hockey in Pittsburgh."
FRESHMEN
Lee Chiang – "I picked RMU because I really like the campus and the coaching staff has a great direction. I'm excited to get started this fall."
Michael Craig – "I am honored to have the opportunity to study and play hockey at RMU. To join a program with both elite level academics and athletics is a dream come true. I am excited to play in front of our passionate fanbase who are eager for the return of Colonial hockey."
Tom Gangl – "I chose RMU because of the opportunity to play under coach Schooley and Nicholson, who recruited me over the course of last year. They are both highly experienced coaches with reputations for developing players and cultivating a great hockey culture. I will especially learn a lot from them as a defenseman, both of them having played the position in college."
Cameron Garvey – "RMU just seemed like the perfect fit for me. The campus is in an amazing location and I wanted to be a part of bringing back that winning culture to the hockey program."
McKay Hayes – "I chose to come to RMU because I was excited to be a part of a rebuild and I was very impressed with the culture that coach Schooley and Nicholson are creating."
Thomas Haynes – "I chose RMU because of the feeling I got when visiting the campus in summer of 2022. The coaching staff were so welcoming and have such strong backgrounds in hockey. It's definitely somewhere that I feel I'll be able to learn a lot and grow as a person."
Tanner Klimpke – "I chose to play at RMU because I want to be part of building something special. I want to be remembered as someone who helped rebuild the championship culture that RMU has had in the past and I think I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to do that. I've heard nothing but great things about the school and the program and cannot wait to get on campus and get things rolling this fall."
George Krotiris – "I chose to play at RMU because not only does it have an excellent hockey program but also has very good academic programs. I'm super excited to be starting this fall and can't wait to get on campus and begin the next chapter of my life at RMU."
Gabriel Lunn – "I decided to come to RMU to join the renewal and culture of the hockey program along with its outstanding academic options."
Jackson Reineke – "I chose RMU because I believe in the coaches and what's being built here and saw an opportunity to be a part of bringing winning hockey back to a program that has already had success."
Michael Sochan – "When I heard the program was coming back, I knew I wanted to be a part of and represent RMU Hockey. The team is fortunate to bring back its core parts with experienced coaches in Schooley and Nicholson, as well as some of their returning players. There'll still be good opportunities for newcomers to step in and make an impact. Also, RMU is one of the top schools in the area so you're able to set yourself up with a competitive degree. It was an obvious choice when RMU offers such a strong place to grow athletically and academically. I can't wait to get started in the coming weeks."
Luke van Why – "I picked RMU because it's a fresh start to create a strong culture and a great place for me to develop as a player and person, on and off the ice."
Walter Zacher – "I chose RMU because of the culture built within the program which has contributed to past success and will continue to prove dominant in college hockey."
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