RMU men's hockey coach Derek Schooley hoping funds can be found to resurrect programs

For Robert Morris men’s hockey coach Derek Schooley, it sounds like he’s employing some good ol’ fashion hockey cliches.

Right out of Hockey Media Relations 101.

One play at a time. One shift at a time. One period at a time. One game at a time.

For Schooley, though, there’s only one task on the white board in his office for the next two weeks: one dollar at a time.

When word broke Wednesday that RMU might reinstate its recently cut men’s and women’s hockey teams, Schooley couldn’t be blamed if his mind had jumped in 10 directions at once.

Can I keep any players who are trying to transfer? Can I get some of my transfers back? Do I still have time to make a schedule? Can we still be a member of Atlantic Hockey? How many coaches and scholarships will I have? Do I technically still even have my job? If not, how do I go about getting it back?

The answer to the last question is Schooley and women’s coach Paul Colontino are no longer under contract. But both technically are still working under terms of their severance packages.

Regardless, as sizable as those other questions are, for the next two weeks, Schooley is focusing exclusively on a different question: How much money can I raise?

“First and foremost, we have to make sure we help in the fundraising,” Schooley said of what remains of his program. “The amount of passion that people have shown over this has been outstanding. To have that door open to continue these programs is what everybody asked for from Day 1. Now it’s here. Now it’s time to step up. Let’s get this job done.”

The programs initially were cut May 26. Since then, many Colonials players and supporters complained there was never any time given to the teams to raise funds. After nearly two months of stonewalling and threats of legal action, university leadership told the newly formed Pittsburgh College Hockey Foundation it had two weeks to illustrate a funding stream that could keep both teams solvent over the next five years.

To the tune of $7 million. Schooley insists that is possible.

“We’ve got a tremendous opportunity to capitalize on the passion of the fans, the alumni and the students,” Schooley said. “This has been something that has united people together. I really believe that this is something that we can capitalize on the momentum and potentially take Robert Morris to new heights — both men and women.”

Unfortunately for Schooley and Colontino, their players can’t afford to be patient. Displaced Colonials from both locker rooms can’t wait on a university that continues to yield nothing but a soft “maybe” when forecasting a season for 2021-22.

BLW Coach and Alumni @michaelaboyle16 is heading to @BC_WHockey ➡️Congrats Coach! https://t.co/AQBSsV3elQ

— Boston Lady Whalers (@LadyWhalersAAA) July 13, 2021

On the women’s side, the Colonials lost three important players: Forward Lexi Templeman, defender Emily Curlett and goalie Raygan Kirk will be joining Ohio State this upcoming season. Top returning goal scorer Michaela Boyle, one of the vocal leaders on the front to reinstate both RMU programs, waited as long as she could before transferring home to Massachusetts. The Reading, Mass., native announced her transfer to Boston College on Twitter less than 24 hours before RMU announced the partial resurrection of the teams.

“I had to make a decision based on what was best for me and the future of my career,” Boyle said. “I really had no choice. Although (the school and the foundation) are working together to be reinstated, there are still dollar signs that need to be reached. It’s difficult to kind of bank my career on dollar signs and other people. Things (that are) out of my control.”

Another consideration for RMU skaters is if Robert Morris doesn’t alert the NCAA of its plans to sponsor the teams by the deadline of July 31, the Colonials won’t be recognized as sanctioned teams.

So the foundation won’t have latitude beyond the end of the month if its goal is to get the teams back on ice by the fall. The university could choose to continue fundraising efforts for 2022-23. But that would be creating a full program reboot next year.

At least eight players on the men’s team are known to have transfer landing spots locked up. But one player who is planning to come back is defenseman Geoff Lawson.

“I committed to being a Colonial four years ago, and I want to finish the job that I started,” Lawson said. “We are starting to see a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s looking like we will be able to get the programs back. We’re all very hopeful. All of us are excited for the news. Some may be shocked, but it’s definitely a situation that all of us are really hoping can be done.”

Schooley said he believes most institutions would allow the ex-Colonials to return if the team is reborn.

The conference issue is another concern. Atlantic Hockey announced its schedule of men’s games for the upcoming year Tuesday. RMU wasn’t on it, and commissioner Bob DeGregorio said it might be difficult to wedge the Colonials into the puzzle.

“Almost everybody replaced them with other non-league games, which would create a bigger problem moving forward,” DeGregorio said Tuesday morning.

As of Tuesday, DeGregorio said he had received no communication from RMU. Athletic director Chris King claimed his associate A.D., Marty Galosi, did establish contact later in the day.

No update was provided, and TribLive is awaiting feedback from Colontonio about the women’s conference affiliation with the CHA. However, it was Schooley’s belief that, eventually, something would be worked out so that both programs would be able to find a conference home.

But only if the required fundraising dollars materialize in the first place.