Robert Morris Colonials
Encyclopedia
The Robert Morris' Colonials are the athletic teams for Robert Morris University
, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania
a suburb of Pittsburgh. The Colonials use the school colors of blue, white and red and compete in NCAA
Division I (FCS, formerly Division I-AA, in football). Most of the school's sports participate in Northeast Conference
. The men's ice hockey team competes in Atlantic Hockey
, women's ice hockey team is a member of the College Hockey America
, Men's lacrosse team is a member of the Colonial Athletic Association
, and women's rowing, which is independent.
Robert Morris field men's teams in: basketball, cross country, football, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis and track & field. Women's teams are: basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball.
. The Men's team has played in seven NCAA Tournaments and one NIT tournament, losing in the Round of 64 each time:
In 1983, they won their only NCAA Tournament game, a "Play-In" game against Georgia Southern.
In 2008 they qualified for their only NIT tournament.
In recent years, both the Men's and Women's teams have had success in their conference
, with the Women's team winning the NEC Championship in 2008 and making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament
, only to bow out in the first round to Rutgers
, while the Men's team qualified for the NIT
.
The men's team won the 2009 NEC Championship, beating Mount St. Mary's 48-46. With the win, the school qualified for the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
, their sixth trip to the tournament. Their seventh trip came a year later, when the Colonials became the first team to beat Quinnipiac
on the Bobcats home court all season. The 52-50 win set up a date with Villanova
in the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
. Behind 23 points from freshman guard Karon Abraham, No. 15 Robert Morris nearly pulled off an upset of the No. 2 Wildcats, leading much of the game before falling 73-70 in overtime.
, women's ice hockey team is a member of the College Hockey America
at the NCAA DI level. RMU also field a men's ACHA DI
men's team that is a member of the Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League
.
Since 2006, the ice hockey team has hosted the Pittsburgh College Hockey Showcase at Mellon Arena
. The 2010 match-up featured the No. 1 ranked Miami (Ohio)
. The 3–12–3 Colonial upset the RedHawks, 3–1. Two days later the Colonials won again at Miami. The Colonials biggest previous win since the program was started in 2004 was against No. 2 Notre Dame
in 2007. Former professional hockey-player David Hanson
of Slap Shot
fame, currently manages RMU's Island Sports Complex.
The football and lacrosse teams play in Joe Walton Stadium
. The school's soccer teams both play on the North Athletic Complex, and the hockey teams play their games at the RMU Island Sports Complex
, just down the road from the campus on Neville Island.
On February 14, 2009, the Men's lacrosse team defeated Penn State 12-11 in double overtime in the program's biggest victory at Joe Walton Stadium.
On November 6, 2010, The Colonials won the NEC championship by defeating the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils 42-24. In addition, Robert Morris won a berth to compete in the Football Championship Subdivision for the first time in school history.
Robert Morris University
Robert Morris University is a private, coeducational university in suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1921, the school was named for Robert Morris, who signed the Declaration of Independence, and helped finance the ensuing war with the British.-History:Robert Morris...
, in Moon Township, Pennsylvania
Moon Township, Pennsylvania
Moon Township is a township along the Ohio River in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. Moon is a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area and is located northwest of Pittsburgh. The origin of its name is unknown for certain, although it has been suggested that it derives from a...
a suburb of Pittsburgh. The Colonials use the school colors of blue, white and red and compete in NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I (FCS, formerly Division I-AA, in football). Most of the school's sports participate in Northeast Conference
Northeast Conference
The Northeast Conference is a college athletic conference whose schools are members of the NCAA. The NCAA designates the Northeast Conference to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision for Division I Men's Football and to Division I Sports for all other sports.Founded in 1981 as the ECAC-Metro...
. The men's ice hockey team competes in Atlantic Hockey
Atlantic Hockey
The Atlantic Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey conference which operates primarily in the northeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey–only conference. Unlike several other college athletic conferences, Atlantic Hockey has no women's...
, women's ice hockey team is a member of the College Hockey America
College Hockey America
College Hockey America is a women's college ice hockey conference in the United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. The conference is currently made up of four women's teams in New York and Pennsylvania....
, Men's lacrosse team is a member of the Colonial Athletic Association
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
, and women's rowing, which is independent.
Robert Morris field men's teams in: basketball, cross country, football, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis and track & field. Women's teams are: basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball.
Men's and women's basketball
The men's and women's basketball teams play in the Charles L. Sewall CenterCharles L. Sewall Center
Charles L. Sewall Center, commonly referred to as the Sewall Center, is a 3,056-seat multi-purpose arena in the Pittsburgh suburb of Moon Township, Pennsylvania. It is home to the Robert Morris Colonials basketball team. The Northeast Conference men's basketball tournament was held there four times...
. The Men's team has played in seven NCAA Tournaments and one NIT tournament, losing in the Round of 64 each time:
- 19821982 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 1982 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 48 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 11, 1982, and ended with the championship game on March 29 in New Orleans, Louisiana...
to Indiana - 19831983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 1983 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 52 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 2, 1983, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at The Pit, then officially known...
to Purdue - 19891989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 1989 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 1989, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Seattle, Washington...
to Arizona - 19901990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 1990 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 1990, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Denver, Colorado...
to Kansas - 19921992 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe 1992 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 19, 1992, and ended with the championship game on April 6 in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
to UCLA - 20092009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT....
to Michigan St. - 20102010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball TournamentThe first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's...
to Villanova
In 1983, they won their only NCAA Tournament game, a "Play-In" game against Georgia Southern.
In 2008 they qualified for their only NIT tournament.
In recent years, both the Men's and Women's teams have had success in their conference
Northeast Conference
The Northeast Conference is a college athletic conference whose schools are members of the NCAA. The NCAA designates the Northeast Conference to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision for Division I Men's Football and to Division I Sports for all other sports.Founded in 1981 as the ECAC-Metro...
, with the Women's team winning the NEC Championship in 2008 and making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament
2008 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2008 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 teams playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the 2007–08 national champion of women's NCAA Division I college basketball. It commenced on March 22, 2008, and concluded when the University of Tennessee Lady...
, only to bow out in the first round to Rutgers
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, while the Men's team qualified for the NIT
2008 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals and Final:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 1 and 3* - Overtime game.-External links:*...
.
The men's team won the 2009 NEC Championship, beating Mount St. Mary's 48-46. With the win, the school qualified for the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT....
, their sixth trip to the tournament. Their seventh trip came a year later, when the Colonials became the first team to beat Quinnipiac
Quinnipiac
This article is about the Native American nation. For the university, see Quinnipiac University.The Quinnipiac — rarely spelled Quinnipiack — is the English name for the Eansketambawg a Native American nation of the Algonquian family who inhabited the Wampanoki This article is about the Native...
on the Bobcats home court all season. The 52-50 win set up a date with Villanova
Villanova
Villanova may refer to:In botany:*Villanova, a genus of plants in the family Phyllanthaceae, an invalid name replaced by Flueggea, or bushweed*Villanova , a genus of plants in the family Asteraceae.In education:*St...
in the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's...
. Behind 23 points from freshman guard Karon Abraham, No. 15 Robert Morris nearly pulled off an upset of the No. 2 Wildcats, leading much of the game before falling 73-70 in overtime.
Ice hockey
The men's ice hockey team competes in NCAA DI Atlantic HockeyAtlantic Hockey
The Atlantic Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey conference which operates primarily in the northeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey–only conference. Unlike several other college athletic conferences, Atlantic Hockey has no women's...
, women's ice hockey team is a member of the College Hockey America
College Hockey America
College Hockey America is a women's college ice hockey conference in the United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. The conference is currently made up of four women's teams in New York and Pennsylvania....
at the NCAA DI level. RMU also field a men's ACHA DI
American Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association is the national governing body of non-varsity college ice hockey in the U.S. The organization provides structure, regulations, promotes the quality of play, sponsors National Awards and National Tournaments....
men's team that is a member of the Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League
Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League
The Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League was created in 2007. The league is made up of 5 teams in the Northeast and mid atlantic region of the US. The Teams play at the ACHA Division I level.-Format:...
.
Since 2006, the ice hockey team has hosted the Pittsburgh College Hockey Showcase at Mellon Arena
Mellon Arena
Civic Arena is an indoor arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that is currently undergoing demolition. It was the first retractable roof major sports venue in the world, covering 170,000 sq. feet and constructed with just shy of 3,000 tons of Pittsburgh steel...
. The 2010 match-up featured the No. 1 ranked Miami (Ohio)
Miami RedHawks men's ice hockey
The Miami RedHawks men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college ice hockey program that represents Miami University. The RedHawks are a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association...
. The 3–12–3 Colonial upset the RedHawks, 3–1. Two days later the Colonials won again at Miami. The Colonials biggest previous win since the program was started in 2004 was against No. 2 Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's ice hockey
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team at the University of Notre Dame. The team competes in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association at the NCAA Division I level.- History :...
in 2007. Former professional hockey-player David Hanson
David Hanson (ice hockey)
David J. "Dave" Hanson is a retired American professional hockey player. He played 33 games in the National Hockey League, and a total of 103 games in the World Hockey Association.-Early life:...
of Slap Shot
Slap Shot (film)
Slap Shot is a 1977 film comedy starring Paul Newman and Michael Ontkean directed by George Roy Hill. It depicts a minor league hockey team that resorts to violent play to gain popularity in a declining factory town.- Plot :...
fame, currently manages RMU's Island Sports Complex.
Other athletics
Robert Morris also has a widely respected bowling team, as they have produced several well known professional bowlers and also were the 2007 National Runner-Ups.The football and lacrosse teams play in Joe Walton Stadium
Joe Walton Stadium
Joe Walton Stadium is a 3,000-seat multi-purpose stadium in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. It is home to the Robert Morris University Colonials football team. The facility opened in 2005 and is named for Colonials head football coach Joe Walton. The team formerly played its home games at Moon Area...
. The school's soccer teams both play on the North Athletic Complex, and the hockey teams play their games at the RMU Island Sports Complex
Island Sports Center
The RMU Island Sports Center Ice Arena is a 1,200-seat hockey rink on the western tip of Neville Island in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The RMU Island Sports Center was built in 1998, and houses several ice and inline skating rinks, a golf range, a miniature golf course, athletic fields, a...
, just down the road from the campus on Neville Island.
On February 14, 2009, the Men's lacrosse team defeated Penn State 12-11 in double overtime in the program's biggest victory at Joe Walton Stadium.
On November 6, 2010, The Colonials won the NEC championship by defeating the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils 42-24. In addition, Robert Morris won a berth to compete in the Football Championship Subdivision for the first time in school history.