Release courtesy of HoizonLeague.org
MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The Horizon League and Robert Morris University announced in a press conference Monday at the UPMC Events Center that the Colonials will join the Horizon League as their 12th member starting in the 2020-21 season.
Beginning July 1, 2020, the Horizon League will have 12 members, including Cleveland State University (Cleveland, Ohio), the University of Detroit Mercy (Detroit, Mich.), the University of Illinois Chicago (Chicago, Ill.), Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Ind.), Northern Kentucky University (Highland Heights, Ky.), Oakland University (Rochester, Mich.), Purdue University Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Robert Morris, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (Green Bay, Wis.), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Milwaukee, Wis.), Wright State University (Dayton, Ohio) and Youngstown State University (Youngstown, Ohio).
In the Horizon League, the Colonials will compete in men's and women's soccer, volleyball, women's cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field, men's and women's basketball, men's golf and softball.
"This is the next great step forward for our student-athletes and a great day in the history of Robert Morris University," RMU President Dr. Chris Howard said. "We are excited for the excellent competition that awaits in the Horizon League and for the opportunities it presents for the university."
From its fertile beginning as a men's basketball junior college powerhouse to one of the most multi-faceted athletic programs in the Pittsburgh region, over the last 44 years Robert Morris has claimed 51 conference regular-season championships and 52 league tournament titles. A total of 14 of RMU's intercollegiate athletic programs have earned at least one tournament championship, with men's basketball leading the way with nine.
"We are excited for the opportunity to become members of the Horizon League," Robert Morris Vice President and Director of Athletics Chris King '94 said. "Aligning ourselves with a nationally recognized and well-branded conference such as the Horizon League positions our athletics department to continue to gain national exposure for RMU.
"RMU is excited to collaborate with our Horizon League members to meet established conference goals and to actively contribute to broad-based initiatives that serve to grow the Horizon League on both a regional and national level," said King. "We are excited about this next chapter, creating new rivalries and continuing the forward momentum of RMU athletics. I'm confident RMU, located in one of the country's most passionate sports cities, will not only be a strong and valued member of the conference athletically, but will also enhance the reputation of the conference through the addition of a national ranking institution with student-athletes who excel academically, athletically and in life."
RMU opened the UPMC Events Center, a state-of-the-art 4,000-seat venue, in grand fashion May 3, 2019, and four days later formally introduced King as Vice President and Director of Athletics. In the first year in the new facility in 2019-20, both the Robert Morris volleyball and women's basketball programs claimed Northeast Conference (NEC) regular-season championships, while the men's and women's basketball programs each won NEC Tournament championships to earn automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament.
"We are excited to welcome Robert Morris University to the Horizon League family," Horizon League Commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone said. "The Colonials align with the Horizon League's mission, vision and core values. Their addition brings competitive potential, especially in men's basketball, the engaged and vital communities of Moon Township and Greater Pittsburgh, and membership diversity. Their addition positions the Horizon League perfectly for the future."
To read more, please visit HorizonLeague.org.
ABOUT ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY
Robert Morris University is a nationally ranked doctoral research university, enrolling approximately 4,600 undergraduate and graduate students in more than 90 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. RMU offers fully online courses as well as a traditional residential college experience at its campus on 230 scenic acres 17 miles from downtown Pittsburgh. The Colonials compete in 16 NCAA Division I sports, including ice hockey, basketball, football, volleyball and lacrosse.
ABOUT THE HORIZON LEAGUE
The Horizon League is an NCAA Division I athletics conference comprised of member institutions located throughout the Midwest's major metropolitan cities. Headquartered in Indianapolis, the League and its members strive to be highly competitive athletically while committing to the total development of its student-athletes and creating a lasting impact on campus and in the community. For more information, visit HorizonLeague.com.
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