On Wednesday, Robert Morris eliminated its men’s and women’s hockey teams. The Colonials were the one collegiate hockey team locally and was the reason the Frozen Four came to Pittsburgh twice.
Men’s head coach Derek Schooley tells The Fan Morning Show that previous to Wednesday they had no idea that the programs were being dissolved.
“Both myself and our women’s coach Paul Colontino, who has done an outstanding job for the last 10 years, had no inclination, we were called in for a meeting at 12:15, and then told the assistants at 1:30, players at 1:45 and the press release went out at 2 o’clock,” said Schooley.
“I’m sad, I’m sad for the players, I’m sad for the alums of this program that put so much into it, I believe that we’ve done a pretty good job here,” added Schooley.
In a release, the university explained that the move is a cost saving one explained this way “part of a series of strategic initiatives intended to position the university to be amongst the most agile and professionally focused schools in the nation as it prepares for its upcoming 100th anniversary.”
The release added the decision is based on scholarship and operating costs necessary to maintain and improve the current facility. RMU believes this move “aligns our athletic offerings more closely with other similar nationally-ranked universities of our size”. It was not a move driven by COVID-19, rather part of a bigger decision.
Schooley says the information released by the university is what he was told and wasn’t even any further explanation for the termination.
He admits that the lack of clarity makes it tough for him to explain to his players and their families what is going on but adds he is proud of what he did at RMU.
Schooley adds the university is honoring his contract through July and that he has three goals during that time: to take care of his players and his staff as well as himself and his family.
The move doesn’t only affect Moon Township, it ripples through Pittsburgh and into the entire hockey world. RMU was the only Division 1 hockey program in the area.
Schooley has been the coach since the beginning of the program and says if there is an opportunity to save the program, there are plenty of people that would be willing to donate.
“I could raise a lot of money today, I could have that done, I just need to know if they want to do that and two what the number is and let me get at it because it could be done very quickly,” said Schooley.
There was even talk as recent as a month ago of building a new arena.
“It’s really changed since the Frozen Four that’s for sure, they wanted to do an announcement during the Frozen Four about partnerships potentially with an arena and next thing you know, a month and a half later we’re talking the complete opposite.