Roger Williams College
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Roger Williams Junior College began their hockey program in 1966-67 playing an informal schedule under Coach John Davis. The following season (now Roger Williams College) joined the New England Junior Hockey League played at the Boston Arena and finished in third place in both the regular season (8-2-1) and playoffs. Bob Reall took over as head coach in 1968-69 leading the team to a 15-4 record. The next season they joined the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) facing other New England teams. Paul Driscoll (La Salle) led the Netops in scoring in 1969-70. Fred Soares took over coaching duties in 1972-73 after Reall left for Bryant College. Coach Soares resigned after one season leading the way for Ray Maker to lead the Hawks for the next three seasons. Maker was helped by the fine performance of winger Bob Pendergast (Pilgrim) on the ice.
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Former Hope goaltender, Dick Reniere, succeeded Maker in 1976-77 finishing with a 5-11-1 record. Former Brown defensemen, Alan Soares, took over for Reniere in 1979-80 through 1985-86. Soares helped improve the team immediately as the Hawks (18-2-1) won the 1981-82 NAIA New England College Hockey Conference Championship by beating Gordon College on an overtime goal by Dave Curtin (La Salle). They returned to the finals the next season losing a heartbreaker to Hawthorne College 5-4. They got revenge when they won their second NAIA NECHC title in 1983-84 beating Hawthorne College 4-0. In the National NAIA Championships that season at Wisconsin-Eau Claire they lost 10-5 to the host team Wisconsin-Eau Claire and were upended 5-1 to Wisconsin-Superior 4-3 ending a memorable year. They moved to NCAA Division III in the ECAC in 1984-85.
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