If Atlantic Hockey Accepts UAH, They're the New College Hockey America

[Lost_Husky]

Currently 5 independents if I am correct:
Arizona State
Alaska Fairbanks
Long Island U.
UAH (if back from suspending(
UAA (if funding comes through)
From there, likely one for sure gets into a conference leaving 4. You could easily get to a 34 game schedule:
- 2 weekend series, both home/away, vs the other 3 independents (6 series) for 12 games
- 11 series (5 home and 6 away each year) vs all other schools. There are 57 other teams meaning on average a team would have to travel to one of the four schools once every approximately 3 years (4 teams with 5 home series equals 20 home series/year shared amongst the 57 teams).
This would guarantee the independents 34 games, 16 of which would be at home and would also create rivalries with the other 3 independents.
When I played at UAH in the initial independent DI days we also had a year end tournament a couple of times with 3 other DI independents. I believe St Cloud may even have gotten into NCAA tourney one year?!?
You could do that again to crown an independent champion and possibly have them qualify for a play in game like the NCAA basketball play in games). A one and done game with 16th ranked team to get in NCAA tourney. Would give them a basis to recruit as well.
Just my two cents.

That makes too much sense, so it never will happen. Do I think those schools should try anyway, of course.

[RaceBoarder]

Hrm. Become independent, get guaranteed home games against Minnesota, NoDak, Michigan, and other top tier draws....


Seems legit...

[pdt1081]

Currently 5 independents if I am correct:
Arizona State
Alaska Fairbanks
Long Island U.
UAH (if back from suspending(
UAA (if funding comes through)
From there, likely one for sure gets into a conference leaving 4. You could easily get to a 34 game schedule:
- 2 weekend series, both home/away, vs the other 3 independents (6 series) for 12 games
- 11 series (5 home and 6 away each year) vs all other schools. There are 57 other teams meaning on average a team would have to travel to one of the four schools once every approximately 3 years (4 teams with 5 home series equals 20 home series/year shared amongst the 57 teams).
This would guarantee the independents 34 games, 16 of which would be at home and would also create rivalries with the other 3 independents.
When I played at UAH in the initial independent DI days we also had a year end tournament a couple of times with 3 other DI independents. I believe St Cloud may even have gotten into NCAA tourney one year?!?
You could do that again to crown an independent champion and possibly have them qualify for a play in game like the NCAA basketball play in games). A one and done game with 16th ranked team to get in NCAA tourney. Would give them a basis to recruit as well.
Just my two cents.

At that point, what are you missing to be an actual conference?

[AMC]

At that point, what are you missing to be an actual conference?

Considering that UAH and UAA do not sponsor hockey, you are missing two of your five schools.

[pdt1081]

Considering that UAH and UAA do not sponsor hockey, you are missing two of your five schools.

The post I quoted was a hypothetical involving those schools. If you have a scheduling agreement between 4 independent schools, and then play an end of year "tournament" involving said independent schools, what's missing from just forming a conference of said "independent" schools?

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Yeah I think this is a very rosy version of what I posited before.

I say:

• Make zero assumptions about the meaning of any tournament they have.
• Assume they won’t get very close to 1:1 home/away ratio in any scheduling agreement. Whatever agreement that <could maybe> be made would need people to actually agree to it.

[JohnsonsJerseys]

At that point, what are you missing to be an actual conference?

You can count the NCHC out of that plan. They have no interest in helping anyone. It is the root cause of why the conference was formed. They didn't want to play games against anyone they perceived to be dead weight. No way they are traveling to those schools with the exception of maybe ASU as I'm guessing they still hold out hope that ASU will get their act together, finish a rink and then they can add a "huge D-I school" to their conference. The CCHA 2.0 will also not want any kind of scheduling agreement with them. They just left those teams behind so they are not going to start playing them again on a regular basis. (I'm sure you'll still see the odd games here and there with those teams but they don't want to be locked into more games with them.)

Sadly that plan only looks attractive to the teams that need it. It doesn't look at all attractive to all the other teams that would be providing the "help" in that plan. That's why those teams are not currently in conferences.

The best thing the NCAA could do is offer an exemption like the Alaska schools get if you play games AT any D-I team not currently in a conference. Then all the schools are still free to schedule with those five as they see fit but at least there is a little carrot to encourage them to do so more frequently.

[mbenecke]

Robert Morris announced today that they are shutting down their men's and women's ice hockey programs.

Tough news, Colonials. I wish there was something more that could be said to comfort you here.

https://www.rmu.edu/about/news/hockey-info