CHA

[dakotadan]

With Air Force leaving the CHA to join Atlantic Hockey, the CHA is down to 5 members. The CHA must find at least a 6th member to maintain it's autobid. I was just wondering what everyone's opinions are as to who might be joining the CHA or what options the confernce has.

[AZSIOUX]

have all teams beside bemidji state form there own confernece in there own region and bemidji state can join the WCHA since they are so close to all teams around the area....replace alaska with bemidji state or just add the beavers and have a odd number of teams...oh yeah, bemidji state needs a fricken arena as well....i don't know..just rambling here because i am bored...

FROM USCHO

Should the CHA not be able to replace Air Force before the 2006-07 season, it would be placed on a two-year probation by the NCAA during which it could still receive the tournament berth. At the end of that two-year period, the league would have to furnish a sixth member or lose its automatic qualifier. Even if that replacement member is found, the league would still have to give up the automatic qualifier in the seasons following equal to the number of years it played below quota.

http://www.uscho.com/news/2005/04/12_010590.php

[redwing77]

I say convince UM-Crookston to go DI and join the CHA then convince BSU to join the WCHA and SCSU to join the CHA

[Goon]

I am thinking the NCAA is going to force leagues to absorb them. I don't think the CCHA can take any more teams so my guess is the WCHA might have to expand. Honestyly I don't want to see the WCHA consider taking any of them mabye except BSU.

Personally I think the Beavers would make a nice addition to the WCHA. However, I don't want to see the us lose games against great teams like UofMN and Wisconsin to play some team like BSU, Wayne or UAH.

[bigmrg74]

What about looking at other colleges that are looking to get into D1 hockey?? I don't think there is any teams around the Chicago area is there? And I know of another college up in GR that I know you guys wouldn't mind seeing getting a team. Also, what about other colleges not thought of as major talent hotbeds?? I bet that one or two schools out in Washington or Oregon could put together a team by recuiting a few western Canadians and whatever they can find locally. Heck, with some of the roller leagues in California, there is just a wealth of talent to be found there.

[Poncho & Lefty]

Jeez boys about time in my mind, this is a joke of a league in the view of the Ponch. They only had 6 teams, the bad Beavers being the only team worth paying attention to, other than that this league is the equivalent of college footballs Sun Belt Conference, haha am I right fellas? This league even has a team from Alabama in it, what in sam hell do they know about hockey in 'Bama. A team called the Fairbanks Nanooks could beat those pansies. Here I'll state it, RIP CHA. The tombstone would read, "We barely knew ya, mainly because your league is to hockey what gophers are to mustard crops."

[farce poobah]

Autobids are good for the game, they give everybody a shot and keep the pressure off the established conferences to add every tom dick and harry that calls their team D1.

However, I note for the record that Bemidji came closer to beating the NCAA champions from Denver than the WCHA powerhouses did.

I hope the CHA finds team #6, because I don't want to see the WCHA try to go to 15 teams - UGH. Too bad AFA went to Atlantic Hockey ... Any chance someone drops out of the CCHA? BGSU? Western?

[bigmrg74]

What about the Big Ten schools dropping out of the CCHA and WCHA and forming their own league? Michigan, Mich. State, Minneasota, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Notre Dame? That's six teams there, and I'm sure if they all got together to go, they could easily get a smaller school to come along to be the leagues whipping boy as well.

[RD17]

I think it's critical for college hockey to have a league like the CHA. It serves its purpose as a "starter" league and gives new programs a place to call home while they get established. If you lose a league like this, it's going to hamper the growth of the sport because new varsity programs would be forced to not only take on the expense of the sport, but also face the reality of having to play the first few seasons as an independent. Not a real attractive option if you ask me.

[Smoggy]

What about the Big Ten schools dropping out of the CCHA and WCHA and forming their own league?  Michigan, Mich. State, Minneasota, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Notre Dame?  That's six teams there, and I'm sure if they all got together to go, they could easily get a smaller school to come along to be the leagues whipping boy as well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That conference would be the death of college hockey. At least for everyone but Hockey East.

[NorthDakotaHockey]

[Siouxman]

It is likely far too late now, but this would finally have been NDSU's opportunity to get into hockey. They could have fit into the CHA, which in the long run would have been better for them than going 1AA with everything else. Probably not a chance here, as they have punted a couple of times on getting into hockey.

[GeauxSioux]

It is likely far too late now, but this would finally have been NDSU's opportunity to get into hockey.  They could have fit into the CHA, which in the long run would have been better for them than going 1AA with everything else.  Probably not a chance here, as they have punted a couple of times on getting into hockey.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually they are only IAA in football and everything else is Division I, but I do agree with your overall statement.

[redwing77]

It is likely far too late now, but this would finally have been NDSU's opportunity to get into hockey.  They could have fit into the CHA, which in the long run would have been better for them than going 1AA with everything else.  Probably not a chance here, as they have punted a couple of times on getting into hockey.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not really. On May 3rd, there is a vote for a "downtown" hockey arena, which is nothing more than NDSU's attempt to get themselves a hockey arena.

Don't worry. It will get voted down. If they want one bad enough, they'll build it themselves.

[dagies]

I liked that idea about trading AA for Bemidji, though.

[The Sicatoka]

Notre Dame isn't in the Big Ten today. Forming "Big Ten" hockey with them would be tough.

NDSU? Sunday's Fargo Forum reported that they were only 40% of the way to raising the extra $1 million they planned into this year's budget. They have until the new fiscal year (August 1, article says "June 31" whatever that is) to raise the rest. Then they have to start on the next $1 million for the 2005-2006 year. Even with an arena (which hasn't passed a vote yet) they have to get the current budget managed before anything else.

Another set of thoughts on this Fargo "hockey" arena can be found here. Key comment in the link:

No, what Fargo "needs" (the quotation marks are there because we are smart enough to know the words "need" and "sports facilities" should only be very loosely associated) is a sparkling new basketball arena.

If the CHA were to disband and the other conferences absorb the teams, going to a 12-team WCHA would make sense if the WCHA could "cherry pick" Bemidji State (in the midst of the Minnesota WCHA schools) and Air Force (near CC and DU).

[mikejm]

I have spoken to pretty high-ranking administrators at NDSU's athletic department about hockey in Bisonville. I've been told in no uncertain terms that adding hockey is not even a dot on the horizon.

The downtown arena backers are grasping for straws and support with the special election less than two weeks. The began this mess with a 4000 seat bowl for basketball but when NDSU balked at that they increased the size to 7000 or so. I think Bison bosses would rather stay on campus than move downtown.

My two predictions: No Bison hockey, now or for the foreseeable future; and unless election day brings a freak snowstorm that keeps voters away from the polls, the arena will go down in flames.

[dobber00]

NDSU is not a part of the downtown arena.

[The Sicatoka]

A lot of people got turned off of Fargo Arena (63% no vote in April 2000) because of the perception of it being pushed by NDSU. NDSU is staying away from this one now, but as McFeely says in the above link,

Bison athletic director Gene Taylor said that while the university would prefer a new basketball arena to be on-campus near the dome, it would not turn up its nose at a downtown facility built with a private/public partnership.

"As long as we can have a priority similar to the one we have at the dome," Taylor said.

NDSU is consciously staying away from this vote, but a new arena in Fargo sure would help them from a budget and facilities perspective and they seem to realize that.

[The Sicatoka]

Another look at NDSU's view of a downtown arena from Gene Taylor:

http://board.uscho.com/showpost.php?p=1972763&postcount=392

Moose97 on USCHO is a media (radio?) guy in Bemidji. That interview essentially confirms what mikejm posted.

That USCHO thread is about maybe Penn State starting DI hockey and joining a league. (This is where bigmrg74 should say "Big Ten Hockey Conference". )

[bigmrg74]

Notre Dame isn't in the Big Ten today. Forming "Big Ten" hockey with them would be tough.

NDSU? Sunday's Fargo Forum reported that they were only 40% of the way to raising the extra $1 million they planned into this year's budget. They have until the new fiscal year (August 1, article says "June 31" whatever that is) to raise the rest. Then they have to start on the next $1 million for the 2005-2006 year. Even with an arena (which hasn't passed a vote yet) they have to get the current budget managed before anything else.

Another set of thoughts on this Fargo "hockey" arena can be found here. Key comment in the link:

If the CHA were to disband and the other conferences absorb the teams, going to a 12-team WCHA would make sense if the WCHA could "cherry pick" Bemidji State (in the midst of the Minnesota WCHA schools) and Air Force (near CC and DU).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know Notre Dame isn't in the Big Ten, even though they've been after them for years. But if that Big Ten Hockey conferance does come about, I could see them adding the Irish better than any of the MAC or any D2 schools like Ferris and LSSU.

[jloos]

Jeez boys about time in my mind, this is a joke of a league in the view of the Ponch.  They only had 6 teams, the bad Beavers being the only team worth paying attention to, other than that this league is the equivalent of college footballs Sun Belt Conference, haha am I right fellas?  This league even has a team from Alabama in it, what in sam hell do they know about hockey in 'Bama.  A team called the Fairbanks Nanooks could beat those pansies.  Here I'll state it, RIP CHA.  The tombstone would read, "We barely knew ya, mainly because your league is to hockey what gophers are to mustard crops."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I thought you were dead.

NDSU will never get hockey as long as idiots like Irv Inniger have positions with the school and or city.

The CHA's best hope is to get a DIII school to jump up - which probably isn't going to happen. Maybe one of the Wisconsin schools would be willing to move. Bemidji and UHA both have good hockey traditions (yes Alabama has had hockey for years). I'm not sure about the rest - but it would be good for college hockey to have these teams around.

[Fedorov]

what in sam hell do they know about hockey in 'Bama. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, hockey should be left to the states that were created with hockey intelligence.

[NDFAN]

Is this the question of the day??

I'll offer my $0.02 worth. I think the WCHA should trade CC, DU and UAA to the CHA for BSU.

Forget NDSU. IMO, they have no desire to add hockey. Plus the Title 9 crap would make them add another money losing womens sport - thank you JoLynn Montgomery.

[NorthDakotaHockey]

Iowa State has a right solid D-1 club team. These D-1 club teams travel, some get 3-4K fans a game, and they have a national tournament. They are, in many respects so I am told, financially self-sufficient.

Of course, I do not know the reasons why club teams do not become sanctioned teams. Perhaps it does indeed have something to do with that monster, Title IX.

That could all be cleared up by offering 80 scholarships for women's football. If there weren't enough women to field a team, so be it. At least they were given an equal opportunity to do so.