Save Uah Hockey!

[ithacat]

Re: Save Uah Hockey!

So you are saying neither will grow. Lets be honest the only people playing LAX are Long Island and D.C. kids. It is nearly impossible to add any sports in this day and age.

Probably the fastest growing sport in the country right now. #1-ranked Syracuse has kids from Ohio (3), Illinois, Colorado, and Oregon on its roster -- next year's class includes a kid from Tennesee and another from Texas (who also was the state player of the year in football and turned down Texas, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame to go to SU for lax). Cornell is ranked #2 and has kids from Washington state (2), California, and Texas on its roster -- next year's class has another Californian coming in and a kid from Ohio, and one from Tennessee. Cornell's 2nd all-time leading goal scorer (3rd all-time in points) just graduated last year. He came from your part of the country, Ryan Hurley from Holy Angels. It's not just the NE and mid-Atlantic states producing lax players.

[gfmorris]

Re: Save Uah Hockey!

Been out of state, and I'll let Moose run those numbers down. I'm hamstrung by my desire to not appear to speak for my current employer.

True. But again, for teams in a "cost containment" league - are there teams that are willing to put in the money for the scholarships AND increased travel budget.

The schools that I would expect to move are: Niagara (spent a decade in the CHA, dealt with its travel, and fully funded 18 scholarships), Robert Morris (started the program in the CHA, fully funded the scholarships), Canisius (widely understood to be one of the two teams willing to leave Atlantic Hockey to bolster the CHA, but didn't leave when they were told their return application wouldn't be rubber-stamped if the CHA fell apart), and Mercyhurst (ditto). Air Force and Army also spent time in the CHA, although Army did so for only a couple of seasons.

I don't know that a team that's always been in Atlantic Hockey would make the jump. They might. If so, cool!

GFM

[Back check]

Re: Save Uah Hockey!

I disagree. The allure of variety and travel could help recruiting certain types of good players. The biggest burden/toll is on the coaching staff. They can find road games if they work hard enough. Plus, most of the road games are revenue producers for the program. However, the travel wears heavily on them and their families.

New Athletic Director E.J. Brophy: "There's no question that if UAH hockey wants to continue at the Division I level, a conference is going to have to be found."

UAH has a disproportionate number of away games. Also hard on students to miss classes.

[komey1]

Re: Save Uah Hockey!

The schools that I would expect to move are: Niagara (spent a decade in the CHA, dealt with its travel, and fully funded 18 scholarships), Robert Morris (started the program in the CHA, fully funded the scholarships), Canisius (widely understood to be one of the two teams willing to leave Atlantic Hockey to bolster the CHA, but didn't leave when they were told their return application wouldn't be rubber-stamped if the CHA fell apart), and Mercyhurst (ditto). Air Force and Army also spent time in the CHA, although Army did so for only a couple of seasons.

I don't know that a team that's always been in Atlantic Hockey would make the jump. They might. If so, cool!

GFM

I don't see Canisius being admitted into the CCHA without it's own rink. Air Force moved to the AHA to be competitive - I don't see them moving anytime soon. I would suspect Army will not be leaving either to be in the same conference as Air Force.

I'm sure Niagara would jump if asked. I don't know much about Robert Morris' situtation.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Save Uah Hockey!

I don't see Canisius being admitted into the CCHA without it's own rink. Air Force moved to the AHA to be competitive - I don't see them moving anytime soon. I would suspect Army will not be leaving either to be in the same conference as Air Force.

I'm sure Niagara would jump if asked. I don't know much about Robert Morris' situtation.

Robert Morris seems to be "the appeaser". Didn't they originally start in Atlantic, and then go to the CHA when it was in danger of folding because they needed a 6th team for an autobid when Air Force left? If any teams go to the CCHA, I would say Niagara and Robert Morris. Mercyhurst only if their men's team can come up to the same caliber as their women's team. And when RIT gets a full-size rink, maybe they'll hop as well. Obviously I hope one of those teams is replaced with UAH, but who knows.

[moose97]

Re: Save Uah Hockey!

Robert Morris seems to be "the appeaser". Didn't they originally start in Atlantic, and then go to the CHA when it was in danger of folding because they needed a 6th team for an autobid when Air Force left?

The general understanding was that they were going to go to AHA, but they were never officially accepted. The rest of your scenario is mostly correct. In fact, I called their AD the day Findlay dropped hockey (in 2004, not AFA's move in 2006) to see where they intended to play the following season, and they had already been in contact with RH Peters about going to the CHA.

By the time AFA left, that put the team down to 5 teams and then Wayne State's departure (2008) put it at 4, effectively killing the conference and setting up BSU's application to the WCHA (which they had done before), RMU and Niagara's app to AHA and UAH's to the CCHA.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Save Uah Hockey!

The general understanding was that they were going to go to AHA, but they were never officially accepted. The rest of your scenario is mostly correct. In fact, I called their AD the day Findlay dropped hockey (in 2004, not AFA's move in 2006) to see where they intended to play the following season, and they had already been in contact with RH Peters about going to the CHA.

By the time AFA left, that put the team down to 5 teams and then Wayne State's departure (2008) put it at 4, effectively killing the conference and setting up BSU's application to the WCHA (which they had done before), RMU and Niagara's app to AHA and UAH's to the CCHA.

OK. I started following college hockey a little bit after when those teams dropped and moved and wasn't too involved outside the ECAC, so thank you for clearing that up.

If some Atlantic teams were to jump ship to the CCHA, should UAH not be able to get into the CCHA, what would their chances be of getting into Atlantic?

[moose97]

Re: Save Uah Hockey!

If some Atlantic teams were to jump ship to the CCHA, should UAH not be able to get into the CCHA, what would their chances be of getting into Atlantic?

Unfortunately, it's a numbers game, IMHO, at the moment. Right now, there are an even number of teams (AHA with 12; CCHA - 11; ECAC - 12; HEA - 10; WCHA - 12 and UAH). Add in PSU and some one is the odd man out. Now, obviously the CCHA is currently willing to go with an uneven number of teams in their conference, but is that sustainable? I don't know. Despite what Bruce McLeod said for all those years, it isn't impossible, just more difficult to do. Optimally, even numbers of teams in a conference is preferred.

That said, if the WCHA and CCHA stand pat with the BTHC teams leaving, both conferences can return to even status (WCHA back to 10 teams and CCHA to 8 teams). Unfortunately, that leaves UAH needing chaos (as I've said before) to survive. And even with many "super 6" scenarios, UAH tends to get left out. It's almost as if UAH needs some school to fold to find a place (and truthfully, I'm not sure that even would secure a conference home for the Chargers). As I've said before - I really wish I could be more optimistic than I am, but until something changes, I just am not.

[Back check]

Re: Save Uah Hockey!

Unfortunately, it's a numbers game, IMHO, at the moment. Right now, there are an even number of teams (AHA with 12; CCHA - 11; ECAC - 12; HEA - 10; WCHA - 12 and UAH). Add in PSU and some one is the odd man out. Now, obviously the CCHA is currently willing to go with an uneven number of teams in their conference, but is that sustainable? I don't know. Despite what Bruce McLeod said for all those years, it isn't impossible, just more difficult to do. Optimally, even numbers of teams in a conference is preferred.

That said, if the WCHA and CCHA stand pat with the BTHC teams leaving, both conferences can return to even status (WCHA back to 10 teams and CCHA to 8 teams). Unfortunately, that leaves UAH needing chaos (as I've said before) to survive. And even with many "super 6" scenarios, UAH tends to get left out. It's almost as if UAH needs some school to fold to find a place (and truthfully, I'm not sure that even would secure a conference home for the Chargers). As I've said before - I really wish I could be more optimistic than I am, but until something changes, I just am not.

If the prognosticators are right, this does not sound good for UAH. Should UAH be unsuccessful in finding a conference, wonder at what point the administration will stop the independent schedule. I guess teams will want to know sooner than later about their conferences so they can do scheduling. When will the CCHA make decisions about their conference? What kind of timeline will there be for ACHA teams to possibly move?

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Save Uah Hockey!

If the prognosticators are right, this does not sound good for UAH. Should UAH be unsuccessful in finding a conference, wonder at what point the administration will stop the independent schedule. I guess teams will want to know sooner than later about their conferences so they can do scheduling. When will the CCHA make decisions about their conference? What kind of timeline will there be for ACHA teams to possibly move?

According to the school's directors, it looks to be until 2013-14.

One other thing to consider is that isn't UAH a Division II school? If so, and they drop hockey for even one year, they won't be allowed to bring it back at the D-I level unless they move the entire school up to D-I, and that's already hell enough to do simply because of bashball and squeakball.

[aparch]

Re: Save Uah Hockey!

When will the CCHA make decisions about their conference? What kind of timeline will there be for ACHA teams to possibly move?

Not including any conference calls between member schools and the head office, the CCHA just recently held their meetings during the AHCA conference in Naples, FLA. Another league meeting isn't generally scheduled until the fall media presser in late September/First week of October.

One other thing to consider is that isn't UAH a Division II school? If so, and they drop hockey for even one year, they won't be allowed to bring it back at the D-I level unless they move the entire school up to D-I, ...

Yep. Stupid new NCAA rule.

[CHFAN222]

Re: Save Uah Hockey!

According to the school's directors, it looks to be until 2013-14.

One other thing to consider is that isn't UAH a Division II school? If so, and they drop hockey for even one year, they won't be allowed to bring it back at the D-I level unless they move the entire school up to D-I, and that's already hell enough to do simply because of bashball and squeakball.

Not true. There is no D-II hockey championship therefore any D-II school can field a D-1 Hockey program no problem. If UBC had joined the NCAA as a D-II school than the hockey team would be playing at the D-1 level.

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: Save Uah Hockey!

Not true. There is no D-II hockey championship therefore any D-II school can field a D-1 Hockey program no problem. If UBC had joined the NCAA as a D-II school than the hockey team would be playing at the D-1 level.

Will the same be true with the rule amendements beginning I believe in August?

[fangers]

Re: Save Uah Hockey!

Not true. There is no D-II hockey championship therefore any D-II school can field a D-1 Hockey program no problem. If UBC had joined the NCAA as a D-II school than the hockey team would be playing at the D-1 level.

Not anymore, the NCAA recently changed the rule(s) about playups.

[UAHStatman]

Re: Save Uah Hockey!

Not true. There is no D-II hockey championship therefore any D-II school can field a D-1 Hockey program no problem. If UBC had joined the NCAA as a D-II school than the hockey team would be playing at the D-1 level.

That would be good, because UAH is in no position to make the full jump to D-I anyway. And we don't even have football (if you thought an Alabama school having hockey wasn't odd enough).