Furman South had to travel more than 600 miles, almost an 11-hour drive, to play junior hockey.

His drive to play his college hockey games? It will be significantly shorter.

South, a Quaker Valley High School graduate and Sewickley native who was one of the top prep hockey players in the area, will have to commute less than 4 miles and about 10 minutes to college.

South signed a national letter of intent with Robert Morris University and will play for the Colonials' NCAA Division I hockey program.

"I've always enjoyed living in the Pittsburgh area, and I've always thought it would be nice to stay here for college," said South, a right wing. "It's nice to have people be able to watch you play. I think it's a lot better than moving. I enjoy being here a lot more than Boston. I just like having family and friends around who are able to see me play.

"I'm definitely very excited about it. It should be a good place to be for four years."

South spent the past two seasons with the Bay State Breakers in Rockland, Mass., just outside of Boston. The Breakers are part of the Eastern Junior Hockey League, a top developmental league for Division I college talent.

South, who helped lead Quaker Valley to its first state championship in 2006, had 12 goals and 11 assists for Bay State this past season and 18 goals and 22 assists in being selected the team rookie of the year in 2006-07. South was an assistant captain this past season.

"Furman is a big kid, and he had a very good junior hockey season two years ago," Robert Morris coach Derek Schooley said. "He can shoot the puck extremely well. He had a little drop off in production when he went back for another year of junior hockey, but he's a kid that will come in and compete and work hard to be in the lineup. He works extremely hard and has all the tools to be a good Division I hockey player."

At 6 foot 2, 198 pounds and with good hands, South is the prototypical power forward. He led Quaker Valley with 21 goals while playing only 13 games his senior season of high school. He also played for the Pittsburgh Hornets Midget Major team.

"He's obviously been a goal-scorer his whole career," Quakers coach Kevin Quinn said. "He's very strong and has a strong shot. He has the size and skill to contribute to a good program like Robert Morris.

"I'm happy he's playing D-I hockey. He gets to play in his hometown, close to the community. He's worked very hard to get here, and I'm very happy for him."

South isn't the only Pittsburgh-area product who will skate for the Colonials this season. Two other incoming freshmen -- defenseman Josh Jones from Scenery Hill, Pa., and Ron Cramer of New Wilmington -- are part of the recruiting class, and Baldwin's Denny Urban was the top scoring freshman defenseman in the nation last season.

South played against Jones numerous times in high school. Jones played for Serra Catholic at a time when Serra and Quaker Valley were arguably the top two high school programs in PIHL Class A. South was a teammate of Cramer with the Hornets, arguably the top youth program in the area.

"It's good to see people from this area have success at higher levels and do it in the Pittsburgh area," South said. "With a couple of us staying in Pittsburgh, it will definitely help the Robert Morris program gain popularity in the Pittsburgh area, make more kids take hockey seriously."

The freshmen aren't the first Western Pennsylvania products to play for the Colonials. Apollo, Pa.'s Sean Berkstresser was the team's third-leading scorer last season as the team went 15-15-4.

"I think having local people shows a commitment to youth hockey in the area gives local kids something to strive for to play at the next level," Schooley said.

"I think once you get one kid it kind of creates a pipeline. Having a very good local player helps in getting other very good local players."

The team will open its season Oct. 11 at Merrimack and have its home opener Oct. 17 against Ferris State.