LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – Fresh off their best finish in program history, the Skatin’ Rebels are seeing one of their top defenseman earn a contract to play pro hockey overseas.
Rob McCollum was planning on returning to Las Vegas for a super senior season, until he got a called from the Dobbiaco Icebears in northern Italy.
“At the end of the day I thought it was the right thing to do because it is something I was hoping for next year, just so happened the opportunity came this year,” explained McCollum.
McCollum become the tenth UNLV alumni to earn a pro contract in the last eight years. He calls is a full circle moment for his family because both his grandparents on his mother’s side, were born in Italy.
“Even when I was younger I always said I wanted to play pro hockey in Italy just because, again, it was a bucket list thing for me,” he said.
In his two years with the scarlet and gray, the 24-year-old defenseman put up 64 points n 65 career games and was named an assistant captain for UNLV during the 2023-24 season.
“If you would have told me as a freshman that after my senior year, I’d sign a contract, I would have said, ‘awesome.’ That was my goal,” he said.
McCollum will leave for Italy at the end of August, but says he will still be able to earn his degree from UNLV through online classes this fall.
“I could have never done this if it wasn’t for Coach [Anthony] Greener or Coach Nick [Robone] giving me that opportunity to kind of showcase what I can do on the ice and I hope I kind of did that for them in two years.”
“I hope this opens doors for the other players on the Rebels because there are so many good players on that team that can do it as well,” he said. “Not only is it going to open the door for them, but even for new recruiting classes when people are deciding where they want to go to school, what they want to do, or what they want from their college career, they can say not only is this program successful, but they move guy on too.”
The Skatin’ Rebels will open their season on the road against Lindenwood University on October 5th.
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