NAME: Ryan Dickson

SCHOOL: Robert Morris University

HOMETOWN: Sewickley, PA

YEAR: 5th-Year Senior

POSITION: Forward

Q: What is the single best thing about playing college hockey for your current CHE team?
A: The best thing about play hockey for Robert Morris is our head coach Craig Bioni. He definitely puts the players first. Everything he does is to help us and make playing college hockey the best experience. Every game I hear players from other teams admire our gameday setup and say that they want to transfer to RMU. Craig makes sure we have everything we want or need for a game, whether it's lollipops and gummy bears, or making sure our jerseys are washed, or we have tape and a skate sharpener. He is the reason I'm playing my fifth year at RMU.

Q: What is the most-memorable hockey game you have ever been involved in, at any level?
A: My most-memorable game is more of a memorable weekend. My freshman year, we had a decent record but were ranked 11th with just one weekend left in the season. In the final weekend, we played back-to-back games against the fourth-ranked team in Bryn Athyn. We were looking at this weekend as a huge weekend to turn our outside chance at Regionals to a very possible run for nationals. We played very well in both games. I remember starting the third period of the second game, down one goal and on the power play. During the power play, I made a pass backdoor for the tying goal. We ended up winning both games and making regionals as the eighth seed.

Q: Are there any routines or rituals you must stick to before every game, such as listening to a certain song?
A: I'm not very superstitious, but I am a creature of habit. Before every game, I always stickhandle a ball before warm-ups. After warm-ups, I always eat two lollipops and stickhandle a weighted ball. When I get dressed, I always put my left on first, left skate then right skate. I tape my stick after I finish putting on my bottom pads, and my last routine before going on the ice is my handshakes that I have with a couple teammates.

Q: Which opposing CHE team do you really enjoy playing against, and why?
A: My favorite CHE team to play against is Cal U. No matter how many times we play them, it's always a game that I look forward to playing. Cal has always been one of the top teams in the Atlantic, a multiple-time champion in the CHE, and a consistent thorn in our side.

Q: If you were put in charge of the entire sport of hockey and could change just one thing about the game, what would it be?
A: My first proclamation for the sport of hockey would be to make the nets higher. I love the sound of a perfectly timed one-timer when it ricochets off the glass behind the net, but I'd much rather not have to back check after my shot wraps around the boards.

Q: What made you choose to attend your current school?
A: I grew up five minutes from Robert Morris University and watched a couple kids from my high school play for their NCAA hockey team. I chose RMU because it was close to home, and the school had an accredited business program. I didn't even find out about the club hockey team until my first night on campus of my freshman year.

Q: What is your major and what do you want to do with it after graduation?
A: I'm majoring in marketing with a minor in sport management. My dream job would be director of marketing for an NHL team, but after graduation, I'm trying to get into a minor league sport marketing program.

Q: What person outside of your family has done the most for you?
A: Honestly, since freshman year my coach, Craig Bioni, has done a lot. Whether I just needed someone to talk to after losing one of our teammates or helping me get a job during winter break freshman year, Craig has helped me way more than I could ever thank him for.

Q: Would you rather be Superman or Batman, and why?
A: I'd rather be Superman. He can fly, he has laser vision, and he can change in a matter of seconds in a phone booth. Superman's powers are far better than Batman's technology, in my opinion.

Q: What are your two favorite apps on your smartphone, and why?
A: Right now, my favorite apps are Snapchat -- because of the snaps that go into our hockey group -- and Clash Royale -- because there's never a bad time to send some hogs to destroy their castle.