College Hockey Expansion

[stoneySIOUX]

12 hours ago, SiouxVolley said:

Illinois’s AD talks about a future hockey team:  https://247sports.com/college/illinois/Article/Illinois-Fighting-Illini-hockey-Josh-Whitman-big-questions-remain-132974025/

The original plan was to rent the proposed downtown Champaign arena as it will also be used for wrestling, volleyball, and M&W gymnastics.  But now UI plans to own that building, which has caused delays.  If it’s not delayed further they can have a hockey team by 2022.

UI doesn’t plan to offer women’s hockey, but either women’s lax or women’s field hockey.

 

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2019-06-19/whitman-ui-still-track-add-hockey.html

Here's another take on that.

[cberkas]

Arcadia is adding men's and women's D-III hockey.

https://www.uscho.com/2019/06/27/pennsylvania-based-arcadia-to-add-mens-womens-hockey-for-fall-of-2021/

[SWSiouxMN]

 

[stoneySIOUX]

6 minutes ago, SWSiouxMN said:

 

Whoa, indeed. So, that means the Alaska schools and Huntsville are going bye bye?

[SiouxVolley]

https://mihockey.com/2019/06/four-michigan-d1-schools-part-of-exploration-into-new-college-hockey-conference/

That would effectively leave Huntsville and the Alaskas homeless.  Huntsville is planning a new on-campus arena.

Some AHA schools like Mercyhust, Robert Morris, and the Buffalo Twins (Canisius and Niagara) could join those seven to make an even numbered League or they take in someone like Minot State or Oakland U outside Detroit.

Edit:  An eighth school will be available early next decade:  St Thomas

[SiouxVolley]

34 minutes ago, stoneySIOUX said:

Whoa, indeed. So, that means the Alaska schools and Huntsville are going bye bye?

Simon Fraser and Arizona St could be partners in scheduling if Simon Fraser decides to go DI.  Maybe UNLV and other PAC12 schools are closer to announcing.

Huntsville could inquire to the AHA on membership.  Liberty has expressed interest in DI hockey too.

The Alaska travel must have been a financial killer for the leaving schools that something had to be done.  Leaving out Huntsville makes it seem like this was a cold blooded move.

 

[SiouxFanatic]

I think this is the death notice of the Alaska hockey programs. They’ll fold.

Huntsville’s best bet is the AHA but that might be a tough sell.

I think this move is a billboard sign to Arizona State, you’re invited to join.

[northernraider]

32 minutes ago, SiouxFanatic said:

I think this is the death notice of the Alaska hockey programs. They’ll fold.

Huntsville’s best bet is the AHA but that might be a tough sell.

I think this move is a billboard sign to Arizona State, you’re invited to join.

I won't say never but ASU in this new conference just seems out of place. 

Wonder if NCHC will begin looking more seriously at Mankato and really throw a wrench in the plan. 

[stoneySIOUX]

1 hour ago, SiouxFanatic said:

I think this is the death notice of the Alaska hockey programs. They’ll fold.

Huntsville’s best bet is the AHA but that might be a tough sell.

I think this move is a billboard sign to Arizona State, you’re invited to join.

I see this as two potential happenings:

1) The remaining schools are trying to elevate their standing and creating a stronger conference top-to-bottom -- this wouldn't necessarily mean the end of UAH, UAA, UAF, they'd just need to find a new home.
2) They see another restructuring coming with a new team (or two? or three?) coming into the fold by 2022.

We'll see.

[brianvf]

32 minutes ago, northernraider said:

I won't say never but ASU in this new conference just seems out of place.  

Agreed.  From the press release:

Quote

They are like-minded in their goals and aspirations for the potential new league with a focus on improving regional alignment and the overall student-athlete experience while building natural rivalries within a more compact geographic footprint.

The regional alignment and compact geographic footprint comments are their way of nixing the Alaska schools from the group, so to add ASU would go against their own statements.

[cberkas]

Chris Boulay‏ @chrismboulay 28m28 minutes ago

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#WCHA statement on the conference change.

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[SiouxVolley]

UAA announced last month a move from the off campus arena of 6000 to an on campus arena of 800.

That does not portend a healthy situation in a state that’s been cutting for more than a decade.

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2019/05/29_Anchorage-Moving-Home-Games.php

[dmksioux]

17 minutes ago, cberkas said:

Chris Boulay‏ @chrismboulay 28m28 minutes ago

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#WCHA statement on the conference change.

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So I wonder what happens to the MacNaughton cup?  Is MTU able to take it with them?  Or does it get retired?

[cberkas]

1 minute ago, dmksioux said:

So I wonder what happens to the MacNaughton cup?  Is MTU able to take it with them?  Or does it get retired?

It's Michigan Techs

[SiouxFanatic]

1 hour ago, brianvf said:

The regional alignment and compact geographic footprint comments are their way of nixing the Alaska schools from the group, so to add ASU would go against their own statements.

NCHC made statements that excluded St. Cloud. But look what happened. 

What gets said publicly holds very little water with all the secret wheeling and dealing that goes on.

[SiouxVolley]

The seven schools that will leave the WCHA will get a new autobid, because they have enough continuity to qualify for it.

But the old WCHA can maintain its autobid for two years if Arizona St joins.  Dropping below four teams would extinguish it but getting at least six teams by 2023 would keep it alive.

[Shawn-O]

2 hours ago, northernraider said:

I won't say never but ASU in this new conference just seems out of place. 

Wonder if NCHC will begin looking more seriously at Mankato and really throw a wrench in the plan. 

That...and the ASU president won’t allow this in a million years. A B1G affiliate membership has a better chance of happening.  

[SiouxVolley]

For the sake of Alaskan college hockey, could the NCHC take in one, and the other new league take the other.  Don’t think this will happen, but the WCHA and CCHA divided them up to save them when those leagues were more flush.

Arizona St would be the 10th NCHC school.

[SiouxFanatic]

@bale31 What’s your take on this development as a Mankato fan? I’m a huge proponent of Mankato coming to the NCHC but this news makes me think that won’t be happening any time soon now.

[SiouxFan100]

Somehow this makes me sad. I was introduced to college hockey with the WCHA. At times I say screw change - I liked things the way they were.

[SIOUXFAN97]

21 minutes ago, SiouxFanatic said:

@bale31 What’s your take on this development as a Mankato fan? I’m a huge proponent of Mankato coming to the NCHC but this news makes me think that won’t be happening any time soon now.

mankato or asu...easy choice.

[SiouxVolley]

Apparently, none of the Alaska schools or UAH were informed of this announcement before it happened.  The timing of it just before the 4th of July week minimizes awareness among the public.  UAA announced more recruits yesterday.

[bale31]

2 hours ago, SiouxFanatic said:

@bale31 What’s your take on this development as a Mankato fan? I’m a huge proponent of Mankato coming to the NCHC but this news makes me think that won’t be happening any time soon now.

F!!! I typed a freaking thesis  for the last 30 minutes and then I had to sign in and lost it all.

 

Cliff notes....

1) I'm disappointed in the way it was announced, but I trust our administrators enough to give them the benefit of the doubt.

2) I'm not sure why this is a surprise to anyone as contraction was always more likely than expansion given the circumstances of the WCHA. Smallest schools, smallest budgets, largest geographical footprint...ergo, the most expenses.

3) Mankato is likely in the best financial position in the league, but that could all go away if we have a couple of bad seasons and people don't keep buying tickets to see teams they don't care about.

4) I would love to be in the NCHC as I think it would provide fans with another reason to buy tickets when we aren't the winning-est team in the country. I think we would compete well in the league, even if many people don't agree with me.

5) I lost all illusion of an idealistic world during the last re-alignment. The last re-alignment taught me and I'm sure a lot of other people and schools a very valuable lessen. There is no "for the good of college hockey" any longer, if there ever was. It is simply that each school needs to do what is best for them and not worry about anyone else.

6) I think there is a lot of backstory on this that we don't, and maybe never will, know. I think there are some clues in the Alaska schools are in a lot of financial problems and the proved it when they moved to arenas of roughly 800 capacity and 1500 capacity. It would not surprise me if the 7 schools decided they needed to act before the other three sunk all 10 of the programs.

7) I'm not sure why UAH has been left out as they seemed to be making some huge strides both on the ice and financially. I'm really confused about that one. 

8) I got on rant and word vomited a lot of opinions out when people ask.....be careful what you ask for.

 

[bale31]

2 hours ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

mankato or asu...easy choice.

I'm not so sure it's as cut and dried as you think. ASU is liable to leave the conference hanging. Everything I heard after the last application was that the entire MSU administration and the coaches were SHOCKED that MSU wasn't admitted last time. From what I understand MSU was a shoe-in, but ASU didn't have their crap together and the league didn't want to have an odd number of teams.

[SiouxVolley]

UAF released a statement that there may be more DI teams out west in the near future.  Maybe the WCHA will become truly Western.

https://alaskananooks.com/news/2019/6/28/mens-ice-hockey-statement-from-uaf-chancellor-dan-white-regarding-potential-member-withdrawls-from-wcha.aspx