MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The RMU men's hockey team is set to open its 2026-27 campaign with a two-game series against No. 6 Wisconsin. The series will take place at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., with game one scheduled for Friday, October 2 at 9:00 PM ET, followed by the series finale on Saturday, October 3 at 8:00 PM ET. Both games will stream live on Big Ten Plus.
 
2025-26 SEASON IN REVIEW
RMU finished the 2025-26 campaign with a 16-21-3 overall record and a 13-11-2 mark in Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) play. After a slow start to the regular season, the Colonials gained momentum following the holiday break and made a push toward the AHA title. Picked to finish ninth in the conference preseason poll, RMU exceeded expectations, climbing to third place in the standings with an 8-3-1 record over its final 12 regular-season games.
 
The Colonials opened postseason play against sixth-seeded Air Force in the AHA quarterfinals, dropping the series opener in double overtime. RMU responded with back-to-back victories, earning 4-1 and 5-2 wins to eliminate the Falcons and advance to the semifinals.
 
Against Sacred Heart in the semifinal round, RMU split the first two games, falling in the opener before bouncing back with a 5-2 victory to force a decisive third game. The Pioneers prevailed in the series finale, ending the Colonials' postseason run one win shy of the AHA Championship Game.
 
On the individual front, defensemen John Babcock and Dominic Elliott earned All-AHA recognition. Babcock was named to the AHA All-Rookie Team and earned a spot on the AHA All-Tournament Team, while Elliott secured All-AHA Second Team honors after earning All-Rookie recognition the previous season. Elliott was also named to the 2026-27 Preseason All-AHA Team.
 
Head coach Derek Schooley reached two significant career milestones during the season, coaching in his 700th career game and earning his 300th career victory.
 
KEY RETURNERS
The Colonials enter the new season with a leadership group featuring captain Patrick Johnson and alternate captains John Babcock, Dominic Elliott and Jackson Reineke.
 
Johnson, a junior from Chesterfield, Mo., brings previous leadership experience after serving as captain of the Bismarck Bobcats of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) for two seasons. Through his first two seasons at RMU, Johnson has appeared in 74 games, recording eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points. He has also made an impact defensively, blocking 43 shots while contributing in the faceoff circle with 472 wins.
 
Reineke, a senior, returns after a productive 2025-26 campaign in which he ranked second on the team in both goals (11) and points (26). He tied for the team lead in assists with 15 and paced the Colonials with six power-play goals.
 
Babcock and Elliott also return to anchor the blue line after earning conference recognition last season. Elliott enters the year looking to build on his second-team All-AHA campaign, while Babcock will look to continue his development following an impressive rookie season.
 
ALL-TIME VS. WISCONSIN
RMU and Wisconsin will meet for the first time since 2007. The Badgers won both contests during that series, holding a 2-0 record in the all-time series.
 
SCOUTING THE BADGERS
Wisconsin enters the 2026-27 season following a successful 2025-26 campaign in which it posted a 24-13-2 overall record and a 14-10 mark in Big Ten play.
 
The Badgers advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four after a strong postseason run. Following a quarterfinal exit in the Big Ten Tournament against Ohio State, Wisconsin earned an NCAA Tournament berth and defeated No. 8 Dartmouth and No. 3 Michigan State in overtime to advance to the national semifinals.
 
Wisconsin continued its postseason push with a semifinal victory over No. 2 North Dakota, securing a spot in the national championship game. The Badgers' run ultimately ended with a loss to No. 3 Denver in the title game, leaving them as national runners-up.
 
COMMON OPPONENTS
Both RMU and Wisconsin will face Canisius and Penn State during the 2026-27 season. The Badgers are scheduled to meet Penn State four times, while the Colonials will face the Nittany Lions twice, with one game at home and one on the road.
 
UP NEXT
Following the opening series against Wisconsin, RMU will have a bye week before returning to action against Miami (Ohio) for a two-game series. The Colonials will travel to Oxford, Ohio, for the series opener on Thursday, October 15 at 7:00 PM before returning home for their 2026-27 home opener on Saturday, October 17 at 7:00 PM. The home contest will stream live on FloHockey.
 
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