With puck drop set for just a couple of hours away, Pittsburgh couldn’t be any more excited for the return of RMU hockey. The men’s team, ranked 10th in the Atlantic Hockey Association’s preseason poll, is ready for one of the most significant sporting events of the year at RMU. The face-off is on Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. at the Clearview Arena, where the Colonials will take on the Bowling Green Falcons.

Under the leadership of head coach Derek Schooley, the Colonials have added 23 total players to complete a lineup of 29. Of the 23 players, 13 are freshmen, but all want to impact the ice this weekend.

The Colonials turn to captain Rylee St. Onge for leadership on Saturday. St. Onge transferred to the Colonials after playing three seasons with Mercyhurst Univeristy. In his last season, in which he played 24 games, he scored eight goals and seven assists. His career totals are 32 goals and 59 total points in 105 games. Coach Schooley commends St. Onge’s maturity and leadership abilities and looks forward to watching his performance this season.

In the 2022-2023 season, the Bowling Green Falcons finished with a record of 15-19-2. The Colonials must be wary of Bowling Green forward Austen Swankler, who scored two goals on nine shots last season after receiving the All-CCHA First Team title.

With only 6 returners from their last season, the Colonials will surely have an action-packed year full of exciting games– and it all begins today.