star2city Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Mercyhurst Men's hockey program explores league switch to CCHA So now Mercyhurst is talking with the CCHA? Talk about a kick to Huntsville's program. "We have no plans to add a new member for 2010-11,'' CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos said in an e-mail interview. "We are currently trying to finalize a new schedule with 11 teams for 2010-11. At this time, we have not addressed our future plans specifically related to our membership make-up.'' Mercyhurst athletic director Joe Kimball said the school has had preliminary discussions with CCHA officials, but has not applied to the conference. "Administrators from Mercyhurst have contacted me to find out about our league, our future plans and the process for membership application,'' Anastos said. "They are doing some fact-finding.'' Mercyhurst has been a member of the 10-team Atlantic Hockey Association since 2003. The AHA will expand to 12 teams for the 2010-11 season with the addition of Niagara and Robert Morris. "Geographically, Mercyhurst College and Erie fit in wonderfully into the CCHA footprint,'' Mercyhurst coach Rick Gotkin said. "But no one has told us they want to add a 12th team. We're just assuming they would like to, because 11 seems like an odd number.'' Besides playing some of the nation's best teams, a move to the CCHA likely would allow the Mercyhurst men's program to fund the maximum 18 NCAA Division I scholarships per season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoggy Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Mercyhurst Men's hockey program explores league switch to CCHA So now Mercyhurst is talking with the CCHA? Talk about a kick to Huntsville's program. Would it be a bad thing if AHA then takes Huntsville? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upper Deck Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Would it be a bad thing if AHA then takes Huntsville? They would have to drop scholarships (from 18 to 11), but at least they'd have a conference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoggy Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 They would have to drop scholarships (from 18 to 11), but at least they'd have a conference. Then that could be a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vegas_Sioux Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 i know scheduling would be a nightmare with 13 teams but if we take UAH the WCHA would be seen as a facilitator of hockey, keeping the small school going in an area that brought hockey to the south. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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