Goon Posted February 6, 2003 Posted February 6, 2003 This is not good check it out... WCHA, CHA Autobids in Jeopardy by Adam Wodon/Columnist The WCHA and CHA could lose their automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, beginning in 2004, under new rules clarified at the January NCAA Convention in Indianapolis. The Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee was recently advised of the news by NCAA Director of Championships Tom Jacobs, during their most recent regularly-scheduled conference call. Section 31.3.4.2 of the NCAA manual says, "To be considered eligible for automatic qualification, a member conference (including a single-sport conference) must include six core institutions that satisfy continuity of membership. For the purposes of this legislation, core refers to an institution that has been an active member of Division I the eight preceding years." In other words, the WCHA and CHA do not have six all-sport Division I schools, as now required to receive an automatic bid. The rule was implemented to discourage all-sport conferences from splitting in half, and therefore getting two automatic bids. However, its effect on the WCHA and CHA were made clear at the NCAA convention, and, as it stands, those conferences will not be grandfathered in. College hockey could have been blindsided had the issue not come to light after the MAAC had approached the NCAA for clarification on a related matter. According to sources, Robert Morris, Rhode Island and Navy have all recently inquired about upgrading their hockey programs to Division I varsity status, and joining the MAAC. This prompted the MAAC to consider the possibility of splitting in half. MAAC commissioner Rich Ensor approached the NCAA Championships Cabinet about the ramifications of such a move, and its implications on automatic bids. In so doing, the NCAA informed the hockey community of its interpretation of the new rule, and its effect on the WCHA and CHA. Of the 10 current WCHA teams, only Michigan Tech, Minnesota and Wisconsin are full-fledged Division I schools. In the CHA, only two of the six Quote
jimdahl Posted February 6, 2003 Posted February 6, 2003 The WCHA winner usually makes the tournament without an autobid (particularly now that its a 16-team tournament). However, no one likes to lose the autobid. Could this put extra pressure on UND to go D-I (not that they weren't studying it already)? UND moving wouldn't be enough to save the WCHA, but in this new pecking order, UND would certainly want to be seen as one of the big boys who help a conference rather than one of the anchors. Quote
soSIOUXme Posted February 6, 2003 Posted February 6, 2003 Goon, I was just about to post on this myself. I am pretty ignorant of DI vs. DII debate. But am curious if anyone thinks this may help make UND decide to go DI. Also, are there any other schools in WCHA that are in a position to change there status? CC? Denver? Of the 10 current WCHA teams, only Michigan Tech, Minnesota and Wisconsin are full-fledged Division I schools. I thought one of the Denver fans had mentioned that they were completely DI now? Quote
choyt3 Posted February 6, 2003 Posted February 6, 2003 Goon, I was just about to post on this myself. I am pretty ignorant of DI vs. DII debate. But am curious if anyone thinks this may help make UND decide to go DI. Also, are there any other schools in WCHA that are in a position to change there status? CC? Denver? I thought one of the Denver fans had mentioned that they were completely DI now? Denver is. Tech is not. Quote
jimdahl Posted February 6, 2003 Posted February 6, 2003 INCH has an article on the same topic that talks more about how the WCHA is already pursuing an exemption. Again, doesn't matter because the WCHA will almost certainly always send its champion now that the field is 16, but it's quite a black eye on the conference. Quote
soSIOUXme Posted February 6, 2003 Posted February 6, 2003 I love this quote by Commish. Bruce McLeod from the INCH article Quote
sprig Posted February 6, 2003 Posted February 6, 2003 As crazy as this is, the thought of the MAAC splitting and getting two auto bids is even more ridiculous. Got to plug that hole somehow. Quote
mksioux Posted February 6, 2003 Posted February 6, 2003 While the WCHA tournament winner would almost always qualify as an at-large bid, that may not always be the case. The WCHA has only one auto-bid, and it uses it on the Final Five champ. I think it's nice for the teams that finish 6-10 to think that they could make the NCAA tournament by getting on a hot streak and winning the tournament. If the WCHA loses it's auto-bid, a 6-10 team that wins the tournament probably would not qualify, even under a 16-team format. Quote
mksioux Posted February 6, 2003 Posted February 6, 2003 As crazy as this is, the thought of the MAAC splitting and getting two auto bids is even more ridiculous. Got to plug that hole somehow. If they want the rule, why can't they grandfather in leagues like the WCHA? That would seem to be the common-sense approach. Quote
elmduf Posted February 6, 2003 Posted February 6, 2003 Denver is a D-I school. I would think that they carry enought sports to qualify. When did Michigan Tech become a D-I school in all sports??? Quote
The Sicatoka Posted February 6, 2003 Posted February 6, 2003 Denver is a DI-AAA (no football). Goldie and Bucky are DI-A (85 scholarships football). CC is DIII. The rest are DII. USCHO has fixed their story. (That's the danger of copying and not linking.) Can you believe INCH got it right? Quote
missthebarn Posted February 7, 2003 Posted February 7, 2003 As I indicate in my post, before I knew that Goon had already started the topic, it looks like an attempt by the NCAA to break up the dominant conference in Div. 1 hockey. The CHA has been courting the rodents and the steriod rodents for years. Quote
The Sicatoka Posted February 7, 2003 Posted February 7, 2003 It looks like the problem has been noted and dealt with already. "Cabinet Recommends Reprieve For WCHA, CHA" http://www.uscollegehockey.com/news/2003/0...2/06_006096.php Quote
Greyeagle Posted February 7, 2003 Posted February 7, 2003 As I indicate in my post, before I knew that Goon had already started the topic, it looks like an attempt by the NCAA to break up the dominant conference in Div. 1 hockey. The CHA has been courting the rodents and the steriod rodents for years. Quote
sprig Posted February 7, 2003 Posted February 7, 2003 It looks like the problem has been noted and dealt with already. "Cabinet Recommends Reprieve For WCHA, CHA" Quote
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