Robert Morris University announced Wednesday it is cutting its Division-I men's and women's hockey programs.
The Pittsburgh-based program played in Atlantic Hockey on the men's side and College Hockey America on the women's side.
Robert Morris is the third Division-I men's program that has announced intentions to drop its men's hockey program before the start of next season. Alaska Anchorage and Alabama Huntsville, both left without a conference after the formation of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, will not play in 2021-22, but both are trying to fundraise to revive the programs in the future.
One new program will be added to the Division-I men's landscape with St. Thomas, which will play in the CCHA.
Robert Morris' women's program has several ties to UND.
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Its head coach is Paul Colontino, who served as an assistant at UND under Shantel Rivard during the early years of the women's program. The Colonials also gave a home to Sarah Lecavalier and Emilie Harley after UND cut its women's program in 2017. Harlie was an alternate captain last season and has one year of college eligibility left.
The Colonial women won the CHA playoff title this season and reached the NCAA quarterfinals, losing to Northeastern. They also reached the NCAA tournament in 2017.
The Colonial men made the NCAA tournament once, losing to Minnesota in the first round in 2014. It won back-to-back Atlantic Hockey regular-season titles in 2015 and 2016.
The UND men only played two games against Robert Morris in program history -- Jan. 8-9, 2011 in Grand Forks. UND won 8-0 in the series opener and 2-1 in the series finale. The UND women never played against Robert Morris.
