Women's Hockey | 7/2/2015 6:40:00 AM
Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Buffalo Beauts of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) have announced the signing of
Robert Morris University women's hockey alumnae Brianne McLaughlin on Wednesday evening. McLaughlin is the first former Colonial to sign with an NWHL team and concurrently becomes the Beauts' first signing in franchise history.
"Buffalo has a tradition of strong goalies between the pipes," said Beauts general manager Linda Mroz in the organization's official release. "[Dominik] Hasek and [Ryan] Miller put the Sabres on the radar in the NHL and now I think McLaughlin will continue such a tradition of great netminders for the Beauts and the NWHL."
McLaughlin, a 2011 graduate from Robert Morris, has spent her post-Colonial career with the U.S. women's national team at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Women's Championships from 2011 to 2013. She claimed two Olympic silver medals at Vancouver (2010) and Sochi (2014), and won gold at the 2011 and 2013 IIHF World Women's Championships. The Sheffield, Ohio native also earned silver medals at the 2012 IIHF World Women's Championships and the 2014 Four Nations Cup.
"Being on the national team we talk a lot about what we can do to grow the game and this is a huge step in the right direction for women's hockey," said McLaughlin in the release. "I coach young girls now and to hear them at such a young age tell me they want to make it to the NWHL is a pretty cool thing."
From 2005 to 2009, McLaughlin starred between the pipes for the Colonials. She was a four-time All-College Hockey America (CHA) selection, garnering first team accolades in her final two seasons, and earned United States College Hockey Online (USCHO) Defensive Player of the Week honors on three different occasions. McLaughlin is the NCAA record holder for career saves with 3,809 and holds the program's top marks in shutouts (8) and saves per game (31.74).
"I was lucky enough to be a part of the inaugural team at Robert Morris University and be there from the very start," added McLaughlin. "I've watched that program grow from winning five games to winning its first conference championship a few years ago."
The NWHL was established this past April and has four founding teams in the Boston Pride, Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, and New York Riveters. The inaugural season begins on October 17, 2015 and will run until the following March. Each team will play a total of 18 games, with all contests being held on weekends.
"It's a special feeling being a part of something new and helping it grow to be something great," said McLaughlin. "I look forward to doing the same thing with the Buffalo Beauts."
Robert Morris, under the direction of fifth-year head coach
Paul Colontino, has posted the second highest winning percentage in conference play since 2011-12 (.569) and returns three of its four leading scorers and starting goaltender in 2015-16.
