Atlantic Hockey Expansion?

[Ralph Baer]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Expansion?

Who says a possible SU mens team has to use scholarships? They could do something similar to what UConn did.

Doesn't Title IX cover both opportunity to play and opportunity to get a scholarship?

[AFHockeyFan]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Expansion?

UAH seems like the most likely candidate to keep it at 12. Navy is a reasonable guess. URI has been thrown around (although it's hard to believe that Rhode Island could support three D-1 programs). Would be nice to see another western team in the conference, but I don't know if anyone is serious about starting a D-1 program west of the Mississippi. Smaller schools in hockey hotbeds (MA, NY, MI, MN) seem like reasonable guesses, but why would anyone go see Wayne State when Ann Arbor is right there. I think a school would have a better shot if they were the only game in town. Someone like UMKC could duplicate UNO's success in a major metropolitan area with no NHL presence.

[lmg6841]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Expansion?

Maybe it's time AF finds a western conference.. *coughcough*

UAH seems like the most likely candidate to keep it at 12. Navy is a reasonable guess. URI has been thrown around (although it's hard to believe that Rhode Island could support three D-1 programs). Would be nice to see another western team in the conference, but I don't know if anyone is serious about starting a D-1 program west of the Mississippi. Smaller schools in hockey hotbeds (MA, NY, MI, MN) seem like reasonable guesses, but why would anyone go see Wayne State when Ann Arbor is right there. I think a school would have a better shot if they were the only game in town. Someone like UMKC could duplicate UNO's success in a major metropolitan area with no NHL presence.

[AFHockeyFan]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Expansion?

I wouldn't mind if AF was in the new WCHA. Probably happen right after RIT joins the EZAC.

[lmg6841]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Expansion?

I'm still bitter that Uconn (pretty much) screwed us out of an ECAC spot.

I wouldn't mind if AF was in the new WCHA. Probably happen right after RIT joins the EZAC.

[BC/HE]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Expansion?

I heard the four were Huntsville, Bowling Green, Syracuse, and Iowa. Reliable source, close to the league.

Other than Iowa that list makes sense. Rather than Iowa State it may be a spelling error; Perhaps Iona wants to bring back Hockey.

[CollegeHockeyRinkReport]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Expansion?

I'm still bitter that Uconn (pretty much) screwed us out of an ECAC spot.

Please explain. I'm one that would rather have seen QU, RIT, absolutely anyone with hockey tradition joining Hockey East over UCONN.

[schiegs]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Expansion?

Please explain. I'm one that would rather have seen QU, RIT, absolutely anyone with hockey tradition joining Hockey East over UCONN.

Please tell me about QU's hockey "tradition" as compared to UConn.

[CollegeHockeyRinkReport]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Expansion?

They play at a decent arena, made an NCAA tournament, administration seems to actually care...I'm not saying they have serious tradition, but anything is better than UConn.

[sbkbghockey]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Expansion?

There's been a number of good candidates for Atlantic hockey expansion . I think the top candidate is (should be) Alabama-Huntsville. their program will benefit greatly from a conference affiliation. Establishing programs in areas outside of the traditional hockey hotbeds is good for the sport; having a stable presence in the deep south may have positive expansion effects 10-20-30 years from now.

Another likely candidate is St. Anselm. They have one of the top facilities in the half-dozen schools playing NE-10 DII/DIII hockey, also one of the few facilities that could support a DI program. Only a few of those DII/DIII NE-10 schools have on-campus facilities, and St. A's is the biggest capacity.

Iowa State has been rumored to move to the NCAA about as long as Penn State. they have good fan support in Ames and a successful club program run by legendary coach Al Murdoch. Iowa State and Penn State were the two dominate programs in the ACHA until about 5-6 years ago. If ISU does decide to sponsor ice hockey, they are a full DI member and member of the Big12, the WCHA is looking for another full DI member to boost their image with the Big10 programs, NoDak and Denver leaving for the NCHC. BGSU is going to be the lone full DI member of the conference and the MAC doesn't stand out like the Big12 or Big10.

Navy finally has an on-campus facility that is new (and also capable for future capacity expansion) it would fit right in with the other Federal military academies and be a welcomed edition to Atlantic Hockey. Speaking of fitting in with the other academies, Air Force is not going to the WCHA, playing Army (and possibly Navy one day) in conference schedules far outweighs the travel expenses. Also the team would struggle in regular conference play against full-scholarship programs.

Wildcards: Liberty University is a large private university, they continue expanding their school and athletics, they are looking to move from FCS to FBS. Hockey has been tossed around multiple times and their ACHA team regularly sees max capacity attendance at their on-campus ice arena of around 2,000-2,500.

Lindenwood University. Lindenwood had expressed interest to join the CHA in the early 2000s in both men's and women's ice hockey, while remaining in the NAIA in other sports. they were shot down then but are currently finishing the transition to the NCAA. NCAA rules allow a FULL MEMBER of Division II to play up in a sport that does not hold a DII championship. LU is not a full member until 2014, and will likely explore the move at some point after they earn full member status.

Rhode Island has a successful club team and a beautiful on-campus facility that is better than a number of Atlantic Hockey schools. They already play some of the DIII and NE-10 DII/DIII schools a few times a year and that could be a sign they are interested in NCAA Hockey.

There's a number of other schools that could also explore the move, be in conversation with Atlantic Hockey, but have no real motivation to move or the resources to do so. Like what has already been stated, talking to Atlantic Hockey, or any other conference, just means it is an idea of that school and doesn't gauge how serious they are unless we are flies on the wall in the commissioners' office.

[UncleRay]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Expansion?

There's been a number of good candidates for Atlantic hockey expansion . I think the top candidate is (should be) Alabama-Huntsville. their program will benefit greatly from a conference affiliation. Establishing programs in areas outside of the traditional hockey hotbeds is good for the sport; having a stable presence in the deep south may have positive expansion effects 10-20-30 years from now.

A lot of good thoughts. I'd like to nitpick a bit with your thoughts on UAH, though. I agree that the team would benefit greatly from a conference affiliation. But I believe the more salient question is whether or not the conference would benefit greatly from adding UAH. In my opinion, that is the question that the other members must answer affirmatively to add UAH. It might be better for college hockey in general, but that is not the concern of the AHA. And with the travel that it would entail for small schools, I'm not sure UAH would be a good addition for them.

[MattS]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Expansion?

A lot of good thoughts. I'd like to nitpick a bit with your thoughts on UAH, though. I agree that the team would benefit greatly from a conference affiliation. But I believe the more salient question is whether or not the conference would benefit greatly from adding UAH. In my opinion, that is the question that the other members must answer affirmatively to add UAH. It might be better for college hockey in general, but that is not the concern of the AHA. And with the travel that it would entail for small schools, I'm not sure UAH would be a good addition for them.

I agree. I don't think UAH would be good for the AHA. And if UAH were to become a member I think they would do so as a last resort and would be looking to jump ship as soon as they could. The AHA certainly doesn't need that.

[THEMICK]

I agree. I don't think UAH would be good for the AHA. And if UAH were to become a member I think they would do so as a last resort and would be looking to jump ship as soon as they could. The AHA certainly doesn't need that.

The cheapskates from the eastern pod would never approve another school that actually wants to compete (18 scholarships) and the travel would kill them (airplanes, we don't need no stinken airplanes). The real question for the AHA is, can it survive if the 4 western pod schools, who looked elsewhere and RIT can find another home.

[RSTuthill]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Expansion?

I'm still bitter that Uconn (pretty much) screwed us out of an ECAC spot.

So that logic goes: HE took UConn rather than RPI, so that is the equivalent of UConn screwing RIT out of backfilling RPI into the ECAC? Even tho UConn to HE had been talked about for at least 15 years? Interesting.

[RSTuthill]

Re: Atlantic Hockey Expansion?

The cheapskates from the eastern pod would never approve another school that actually wants to compete (18 scholarships) and the travel would kill them (airplanes, we don't need no stinken airplanes). The real question for the AHA is, can it survive if the 4 western pod schools, who looked elsewhere and RIT can find another home.

Of course those are the same cheapskates that made it possible for RIT to play somewhere other than the ECAC West