UND's New Hockey Conference

[The Sicatoka]

... "Hat Trick Jesus"...

"Hat trick" Jesus? You think Jesus plays forward? Uh, no. He's a goalie. How do I know? ... Jesus saves.

And Reverend Grimaldi scores on the rebound.

[dakota fairways]

"Hat trick" Jesus? You think Jesus plays forward? Uh, no. He's a goalie. How do I know? ... Jesus saves.

And Reverend Grimaldi scores on the rebound.

this one I really like! +1

Don't know how you would score a hat trick from the goalie position, but if anyone can, Jesus can!

[star2city]

Notre Dame will not announce hockey conference at CCHA meetings this week

Curious to know what the hold up is. Is Notre Dame having issues with it's own proposed network and the NCHC's rights with Versus/CBS Sports? Is Notre Dame working on a new conference with BC, BU, etc?

One interesting sidelight: Texas fully intends to stay the course with it's Longhorn Network. (ESPN is paying huge $'s to UT for the privilege.) The NCAA recently banned college networks from showing high school games, which was to be a huge part of the Longhorn Network.

What kind of programming will Texas be able to provide? Other than football and basketball, the only other real spectator sports that UT sponsors are baseball, softball, and volleyball. Track and field, tennis, swimming, and golf are just not going to provide the programming that a Longhorn Network needs.

At this point, wouldn't at all be surprised if Texas sponsors women's sand volleyball, men's volleyball, M&W Lacrosse or even M&W Hockey. They have the money and badly need the programming.

Oklahoma also faces the same issues, as a Sooner's network is supposedly in the works.

[IrishSiouxFan]

Notre Dame will not announce hockey conference at CCHA meetings this week

Curious to know what the hold up is. Is Notre Dame having issues with it's own proposed network and the NCHC's rights with Versus/CBS Sports? Is Notre Dame working on a new conference with BC, BU, etc?

One interesting sidelight: Texas fully intends to stay the course with it's Longhorn Network. (ESPN is paying huge $'s to UT for the privilege.) The NCAA recently banned college networks from showing high school games, which was to be a huge part of the Longhorn Network.

What kind of programming will Texas be able to provide? Other than football and basketball, the only other real spectator sports that UT sponsors are baseball, softball, and volleyball. Track and field, tennis, swimming, and golf are just not going to provide the programming that a Longhorn Network needs.

At this point, wouldn't at all be surprised if Texas sponsors women's sand volleyball, men's volleyball, M&W Lacrosse or even M&W Hockey. They have the money and badly need the programming.

Oklahoma also faces the same issues, as a Sooner's network is supposedly in the works.

It would be nice to have Notre Dame in the NCHC but this waiting game is getting old. I wonder if anyone from the NCHC is talking to Texas and Oklahoma assuring them that if they were to make the jump they would both have a spot waiting for them in the best hockey conference in the NCAA?

[jodcon]

Notre Dame will not announce hockey conference at CCHA meetings this week

Curious to know what the hold up is. Is Notre Dame having issues with it's own proposed network and the NCHC's rights with Versus/CBS Sports? Is Notre Dame working on a new conference with BC, BU, etc?

One interesting sidelight: Texas fully intends to stay the course with it's Longhorn Network. (ESPN is paying huge $'s to UT for the privilege.) The NCAA recently banned college networks from showing high school games, which was to be a huge part of the Longhorn Network.

What kind of programming will Texas be able to provide? Other than football and basketball, the only other real spectator sports that UT sponsors are baseball, softball, and volleyball. Track and field, tennis, swimming, and golf are just not going to provide the programming that a Longhorn Network needs.

At this point, wouldn't at all be surprised if Texas sponsors women's sand volleyball, men's volleyball, M&W Lacrosse or even M&W Hockey. They have the money and badly need the programming.

Oklahoma also faces the same issues, as a Sooner's network is supposedly in the works.

I'm sure the CCHA and WMU were hoping that Notre Dame was going to announce their intentions this week, they've got major decisions to make and can't do much until they know which conference, if any, ND is going to commit to.

[star2city]

Who will be NCHC Commish?

Tom Kurvers will listen if college hockey

[star2city]

WDAY: MSU-Moorhead still moving forward with hockey fundraising

[star2city]

St Cloud Times: WCHA - CCHA meetings - no merger?

Notre Dame to the ECAC?

Notre Dame has been courted by the NCHC, and the ECAC and Hockey East have also been reported in newspaper stories as possible future homes for the Irish. Notre Dame could also declare itself an independent, which it is in football.

Waiting on the Irish shoe to drop?

When Notre Dame makes an announcement, more conference moves are expected. Western Michigan has said that it wants to follow the Irish to wherever their destination is. If those two schools leave the CCHA, that would leave that conference with four schools — Alaska, Bowling Green, Ferris State and Lake Superior State.

“We look at (Notre Dame) as the lynch pin and then we’ll see what the next thing will be when it happens,” McLeod said. “There’s still some more shoes to fall.”

Seems like the meetings were more about how many more schools the WCHA would take from the CCHA (add Alaska and/or LSSU vs possibly adding Moorhead, all of which might be fine from the CCHA's perspective).

Since there any more meetings scheduled, that may be an indication that the four AHA schools are ready to jump to the CCHA, once ND and WMU leave.

McLeod said that there are no future meetings scheduled between the WCHA and the CCHA.

“We’re going to keep in communication and we’re thinking that, hopefully, that other shoes might drop pretty quick,” he said.

[Goon]

St Cloud Times: WCHA - CCHA meetings - no merger?

Notre Dame to the ECAC?

Waiting on the Irish shoe to drop?

Seems like the meetings were more about how many more schools the WCHA would take from the CCHA (add Alaska and/or LSSU vs possibly adding Moorhead, all of which might be fine from the CCHA's perspective).

Since there any more meetings scheduled, that may be an indication that the four AHA schools are ready to jump to the CCHA, once ND and WMU leave.

Is it me or does every article written by Mick Hatten sound like program envy? Does anyone else think this? Some buffoon suggested that their past president Roy Saigo cost them a chance to be in the NCHC, the fact remains that SCSU is not on par with the teams financially that are currently in the NCHC, SCSU is a second tier school.

[MissSioux85]

College Hockey News is reporting that the WCHA and CCHA will merge

After two rounds of talks, the WCHA is ready to accept five CCHA schools into the conference, sources have indicated to CHN.

The switch from the CCHA to the WCHA is pending each individual schools' Board of Trustees approving the move. Announcements will thus come piecemeal, with the first ones potentially coming as early as Friday.

The moves would take place as of the 2013-14 season, the same season two new college hockey conferences

[star2city]

College Hockey News is reporting that the WCHA and CCHA will merge

http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2011/08/25_remaining_ccha_teams_will.php

Never expected the WCHA to invite Ferris State and Bowling Green - guess the WCHA will go to "Michigan" and "Minnesota" divisions if that happens. So far, only Alaska and Lake State, who both badly wanted into the WCHA, have immediately accepted.

If Bowling Green is forced into the WCHA as its only option, as an institution I just don't see them keeping hockey as a sport. As an FBS school, they have nothing in common with any of the other WCHA schools, and their travel would be horrific.

UAH hockey probably gets killed by this too. UAH needs the CCHA to survive.

The four AHA schools that were looking at the CCHA, Niagara, Canisius, Mercyhurst, and Robert Morris, wanted an eight team CCHA without Alaska, as they didn't want to revisit the old CHA situation if schools dropped out. A six team or maybe even seven team league just doesn't offer the assurance they want.

If Notre Dame accepts the NCHC offer and WMU isn't offered, an eight team CCHA might still happen (with UAH, WMU, Ferris, BGSU + four AHA schools), but that is seeming less and less likely.

[star2city]

@TYTBlog if Notre Dame picks Hockey East, NCHC could want WMU and BGSU in order to have 8 teams

@chnews

If that happens, all the MAC schools would be part of the NCHC. Also, theoretically, the NCHC can pick up the CCHA's autobid if it plays out properly:

CCHA is down to just ND, WMU, Ferris St, and BGSU

-Ferris accepts WCHA offer

-ND moves to HE or ECAC or whatever

-WMU and BGSU then "control" a two team CCHA

-WMU and BGSU then invite the six teams from the NCHC and rename the conference the NCHC- like a reverse takeover. Technically, the CCHA autobid goes directly to the NCHC.

-If ND and WMU both go to the NCHC, and Bowling Green stays as the last team, Bowling Green could invite the AHA teams and UAH and hold onto the CCHA autobid.

Looks like WMU's chance for a new arena is delayed for at least another year:

Kalamzaoo / WMU proposed arena may be on ice

[darell1976]

@chnews

If that happens, all the MAC schools would be part of the NCHC. Also, theoretically, the NCHC can pick up the CCHA's autobid if it plays out properly:

CCHA is down to just ND, WMU, Ferris St, and BGSU

-Ferris accepts WCHA offer

-ND moves to HE or ECAC or whatever

-WMU and BGSU then "control" a two team CCHA

-WMU and BGSU then invite the six teams from the NCHC and rename the conference the NCHC- like a reverse takeover. Technically, the CCHA autobid goes directly to the NCHC.

-If ND and WMU both go to the NCHC, and Bowling Green stays as the last team, Bowling Green could invite the AHA teams and UAH and hold onto the CCHA autobid.

Looks like WMU's chance for a new arena is delayed for at least another year:

Kalamzaoo / WMU proposed arena may be on ice

Does that mean maybe in the future UND could have a home in the MAC for all sports?

[dmksioux]

Does that mean maybe in the future UND could have a home in the MAC for all sports?

I think you need to slow it down a bit in making that jump. Lots of things have to fall in place for just the hockey connection to the MAC to happen. You know the old saying "you need to crawl before you can walk and you need to walk before you can run"...or something along those lines.

I know it's fun to think about what UND can be, but it's also fun to acknowledge where we are at and set realistic goals. Goals such as being competitive in the Big Sky and other conferences we are a part of and then moving on to winning Conference titles and being competitive at the National level. We have a long ways to go but some of the pieces are beginning to fall into place.

[darell1976]

I think you need to slow it down a bit in making that jump. Lots of things have to fall in place for just the hockey connection to the MAC to happen. You know the old saying "you need to crawl before you can walk and you need to walk before you can run"...or something along those lines.

I know it's fun to think about what UND can be, but it's also fun to acknowledge where we are at and set realistic goals. Goals such as being competitive in the Big Sky and other conferences we are a part of and then moving on to winning Conference titles and being competitive at the National level. We have a long ways to go but some of the pieces are beginning to fall into place.

It is fun to think about that half our conference foes are from the MAC maybe it opens scheduling up in other sports, not so much football with only 3 dates to fill a year but in basketball. I know the MAC is out of our recruiting area but it would piss off our neighbors to the south if UND plays MAC teams at the Betty while the BSA is hosting Valley City State.

[IrishSiouxFan]

It is fun to think about that half our conference foes are from the MAC maybe it opens scheduling up in other sports, not so much football with only 3 dates to fill a year but in basketball. I know the MAC is out of our recruiting area but it would piss off our neighbors to the south if UND plays MAC teams at the Betty while the BSA is hosting Valley City State.

I wonder if UND might one day end up in the MAC as a result of the NCHC?

[The Sicatoka]

Never expected the WCHA to invite Ferris State and Bowling Green - guess the WCHA will go to "Michigan" and "Minnesota" divisions if that happens.

The Big Ten went with "Legends" and "Leaders" for division names.

In that spirit will Bruce McLeod go with "Failures" and "Followers"?

[The Sicatoka]

UAH hockey probably gets killed by this too. UAH needs the CCHA to survive.

Bruce McLeod (and his remaining minions, SCSU, MTU, MSU-M, UAA, BSU) are killing college hockey!

(DISCLAIMER: It needed to be said after that accusation has been thrown around so much regarding Big Ten hockey and the NCHC.)

[IrishSiouxFan]

Bruce McLeod (and his remaining minions, SCSU, MTU, MSU-M, UAA, BSU) are killing college hockey!

(DISCLAIMER: It needed to be said after that accusation has been thrown around so much regarding Big Ten hockey and the NCHC.)

Now that's funny!

[Goon]

Does that mean maybe in the future UND could have a home in the MAC for all sports?

I would bet money that UND will not be in the MAC ever, UND is already in the BSC.

[Goon]

Bruce McLeod (and his remaining minions, SCSU, MTU, MSU-M, UAA, BSU) are killing college hockey!

(DISCLAIMER: It needed to be said after that accusation has been thrown around so much regarding Big Ten hockey and the NCHC.)

The Big Ten went with "Legends" and "Leaders" for division names.

In that spirit will Bruce McLeod go with "Failures" and "Followers"?

Now that is really funny, I almost spit water all over my lap top reading that one.

[darell1976]

I would bet money that UND will not be in the MAC ever, UND is already in the BSC.

But if they ever think about the FBS? Also if the Montana's bolt for the FBS in a couple years would we really stay in the Big Sky forever or would we bolt if we were given an FBS invite?

[The Sicatoka]

All of the changes in college sports recently has taught me to never say never.

[star2city]

Ferris State accepts WCHA invite

Marquette Mining-Journal: WCHA insisted on arena upgrades from Ferris St and Lake Sup St

According to NMU President Less Wong, the WCHA did request that LSSU and Ferris upgrade their arenas - Taffy Abel Arena in Sault Ste. Marie and Ewigleben Ice Arena in Big Rapids - and both athletic departments agreed to make improvements.

Wong said it would have been a crime for NMU's fellow GLIAC schools in Sault Ste. Marie and Big Rapids to be without a home.

South Bend Tribune: End near for CCHA

The two most likely landing options for Notre Dame are the new National Collegiate Hockey Conference or remaining independent, with a move to Hockey East as a distant third.

If ND joins the NCHC, ND seems to be insisting that the NCHC only have 7 teams so that ND can have an extensive non-conference schedule.

If ND rejects the NCHC and goes independent, then it seems the NCHC takes in both WMU and Bowling Green.

Kalamazoo Gazette: WMU no longer tied to ND

Western Michigan

[Blackheart]

Ferris State accepts WCHA invite

Marquette Mining-Journal: WCHA insisted on arena upgrades from Ferris St and Lake Sup St

South Bend Tribune: End near for CCHA

If ND joins the NCHC, ND seems to be insisting that the NCHC only have 7 teams so that ND can have an extensive non-conference schedule.

If ND rejects the NCHC and goes independent, then it seems the NCHC takes in both WMU and Bowling Green.

Kalamazoo Gazette: WMU no longer tied to ND

This seems to imply that WMU + BG + 4 AHA schools might still be on the table if WMU and BGSU don't get an NCHC offer:

NCHC should tell the Notre Dame to shi* or get off the pot. They have a couple good years in the last 30 and suddenly they are going to keep everyone waiting until they weigh all their options? Take Western and wish Bowling Green and Notre Dame good luck. End of rant...