News Bulletin

June 19, 2008

Ontario Lightning Rams Junior A Team Announces NCAA Affiliation

The Robert Morris University Colonials coaching staff is extremely pleased to announce an affiliation agreement with the Ontario Lightning Rams Junior A hockey team of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL). The GMHL consists of 13 teams, all located in Ontario, and has just completed its second year of operation while in direct competition with the OPJHL.

The affiliation came about through the work of Rams head coach, Danny Jones, who is a good friend of Dennis Hanna, father of Colonials associate head coach Jon Hanna. Said coach Hanna, “I met Danny four or five years ago when his son was playing in a tournament here in Pittsburgh. Once Danny started coaching at the Junior level last season, we agreed we should start an organizational relationship that would benefit both of our teams. This past weekend at our Prospects camp, with the help of Rams owner Mr. David Blyth, we were able to iron something out. There are a lot of very talented hockey players coming out of Pittsburgh right now who are looking to play junior hockey, so we hope we can open up some doors for them through the Rams. Likewise, we offer the Rams a means to get their players some college exposure, so we really feel it’s a win-win situation.”

As part of the agreement, the Colonials will travel up to Richmond Hill, Ontario, on September 19-21, to play the Rams in two exhibition contests. The following weekend, September 26-28, the Rams will return to Pittsburgh to take on the Colonials in two more exhibition games. While in Pittsburgh, the Rams players and their family members will receive a tour of the university through the Admissions Department. Another added benefit is that the four games will partially serve as tryouts for both the Rams and the Colonials, as they all come during the teams’ training camps.

For more information about the GMHL and the Ontario Lightning Rams, please visit their websites at www.gmhl.net and www.ramshockey.com.