Pittsburgh, Pa. – Robert Morris University women's hockey head coach Paul Colontino has announced the signing of five student-athletes to National Letters of Intent (NLI).

Leah Carey (Middletown, Wisc. / Madison Capitols U19), Natalie Fraser (Ottawa, Ontario / Ottawa Jr. Lady Senators), Jessica Gazzolla (Thunder Bay, Ontario / Toronto Jr. Aeros), Katherine Murphy (Cary, N.C. / North American Hockey Academy), and Amanda Pantaleo (Markham, Ontario / Toronto Jr. Aeros) will join the Colonials for the 2014-15 academic year.

"We're really excited about our incoming class. Not only are they great athletes and great students, but they're great people too," said Colontino. "We feel they will contribute both on and off the ice, which is exactly what we're looking for."

"They have great family backgrounds and strong work-ethics, which should allow them to fit smoothly into the culture here at Robert Morris," added Colontino.

Carey will be the first Colonial to hail from the Badger State since Alissa Dorman donned the RMU colors from 2005-09. The defenseman tallied 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) last season for the Madison Capitols U19 team and was voted as a captain for them this season. Carey also has been a part of four Wisconsin State Hockey Championship teams (2006, 2009, 2010, 2012), with two of those squads (2010, 2012) advancing to the USA Hockey National Championships.

Fraser is one of three signees that hail from Ontario. The defenseman registered 53 points (29 goals, 24 assists) in 71 games for the Voyageurs of the Canadian International Hockey Academy (CIHA) during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons, and was selected for Team Ontario's final evaluation in 2012 and 2013. Fraser also played for the North American Stars during the team's European tour in March 2012 and was selected to attend the RUSH hockey showcase over the past two summers.

Gazzolla is one of two signees currently playing for the Toronto Jr. Aeros. The forward compiled 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists) in 31 games last season and helped the Aeros win a bronze medal in the Provincial Women's Hockey League (PWHL) playoffs. Gazzolla is also a two-time Ontario Women's Hockey Association gold medalist (2010-11, 2011-12) and, like Fraser, was a part of Team Ontario's final evaluations in 2012 and 2013. This past September, Gazzolla tallied an assist for Toronto in its 6-2 exhibition loss against RMU.

Murphy will be the first Colonial to come from the Tar Heel State. The forward is currently in her fourth year at the North American Hockey Academy located in Stowe, Vt., and is an assistant captain for the NAHA White team. Through 43 games this season, Murphy has tallied 42 points (19 goals, 23 assists) after posting 45 points (29 goals, 18 assists) through 77 contests in 2012-13. In the NAHA, she has won a Junior Women's Hockey League (JWHL) championship (2013) and a JWHL Challenge Cup Championship (2012), and also was a part of the 2012 Manon Rehaume Tournament and 2013 Northwood Tournament championship teams.

Pantaleo joins her Aeros teammate Gazzolla as a RMU signee. The forward played in 38 games for Toronto last season and registered 19 points (9 goals, 10 assists). In addition to winning a bronze medal from the 2013 PWHL playoffs, Pantaleo was a U18 national champion with Team Ontario Red and was named Athlete of the Year at St. Brother Andre Catholic High School. She also played in the Aeros' 6-2 exhibition loss against the Colonials this past September, registering a team-high two shots in the first period of that contest.

No. 8 Robert Morris returns to the ice this Friday as its non-conference slate ends with a series at No. 10 Quinnipiac. The first meeting with the Bobcats is scheduled for a 4:00 p.m. face-off from TD Bank Sports Center.