Utica College: The gang's all here.

[Ed Trefzger]

As of now, you have no place to go.

Maybe there will be a place soon: https://www.uscho.com/2022/08/08/pot...opportunities/

This is the right answer, rather than expecting Atlantic Hockey to take everyone.

[UCBadger]

Maybe there will be a place soon: https://www.uscho.com/2022/08/08/pot...opportunities/

This is the right answer, rather than expecting Atlantic Hockey to take everyone.

Can't say that I am very excited about this possibility.

[sshablak]

There is a major announcement coming in the next few days, all I'll say.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Maybe there will be a place soon: https://www.uscho.com/2022/08/08/pot...opportunities/

This is the right answer, rather than expecting Atlantic Hockey to take everyone.

My presumption has been that everyone would apply to AHA, and internal friction over what to do about that night hasten The AHA Split (if that were to happen).

That seemed like the most likely outcome (unless all these schools truly wanted to stay independent) until the news that the NE-10/NEMHA/whatever might actually happen. I’d been baffled for years about what the NE-10 was accomplishing as a D-II hockey conference and took the ongoing status quo as an indicator that it wasn’t likely to happen.

[JSicedog]

Maybe there will be a place soon: https://www.uscho.com/2022/08/08/pot...opportunities/

This is the right answer, rather than expecting Atlantic Hockey to take everyone.

This is the last resort for Utica and they will consider staying independent before joining that type of league.

Either way the D1 thing is happening. The school has already been accepted to the NE10 and is moving D2.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

That is a good point: assuming that their attendance trends as it has, Utica is far better suited for the AHA than a league that is basically the AHA 20 years ago in its MAAC configuration.

[bakdraft21]

This is the last resort for Utica and they will consider staying independent before joining that type of league.

Either way the D1 thing is happening. The school has already been accepted to the NE10 and is moving D2.

D2 what??? thought it was either 1 or stay 3??? Ow well best of luck...

[Scott_TG]

D2 what??? thought it was either 1 or stay 3??? Ow well best of luck...

I think they are going DII overall, which gives ice hockey access to compete for the D1 championships since DII teams in sports without a DII NCAA Championship can compete for the D1.

[Russell Jaslow]

D2 what??? thought it was either 1 or stay 3??? Ow well best of luck...

Come on bakdraft. We've been talking about this for months about the loophole in D1 hockey and how a D2 team can play D1 hockey. Pay attention...

[bakdraft21]

Come on bakdraft. We've been talking about this for months about the loophole in D1 hockey and how a D2 team can play D1 hockey. Pay attention...

Ok I have been in Isreal for 15 days watching the daughter Captain and win the Gold medal for Team USA in U16 Volleyball,apology accepted :-)))Then off to LIB for a week..........Plus really Fish has all of this covered and ya'll know It's all RIT's fault anyway....

[Russell Jaslow]

You suck at math, too. Months > 15 days.

Of course you know I’m just pounding on you while I can. It's too much fun.

BTW, great achievement for your daughter. And a wonderful experience visiting Israel.

[Ed Trefzger]

That is a good point: assuming that their attendance trends as it has, Utica is far better suited for the AHA than a league that is basically the AHA 20 years ago in its MAAC configuration.

Perhaps the biggest goal in AHA right now is improving the PWR within the league and that’s driven by the out of conference record. The league is not interested in doing anything that’s going to drive it down. Attendance is not really a factor. The league champion over the last four years hasn’t exactly been setting attendance records.

[JSicedog]

Perhaps the biggest goal in AHA right now is improving the PWR within the league and that’s driven by the out of conference record. The league is not interested in doing anything that’s going to drive it down. Attendance is not really a factor. The league champion over the last four years hasn’t exactly been setting attendance records.

How do you figure they fix it? Follow the same course they are on, where other conferences look at AHA games as layups?

[Ed Trefzger]

How do you figure they fix it? Follow the same course they are on, where other conferences look at AHA games as layups?

They have been moving in the right direction by adding scholarships to a full 18 and by improving home arenas to get more non-conference home games. The era of other conferences looking at games as layups has passed unless the non-AHA coach is an idiot. Atlantic Hockey had a winning record against ECAC last season and had wins over Penn State, Ohio State, Boston College, Notre Dame and others ... St. Lawrence, Princeton, UVM, Ferris State, Miami, Colorado College, Brown ... etc.

An indication of what a team would be like moving into a new conference would be St. Thomas last season, which went 3-22-1.

[AMC]

That is a good point: assuming that their attendance trends as it has, Utica is far better suited for the AHA than a league that is basically the AHA 20 years ago in its MAAC configuration.

Utica would have some sort of wait period as a re-classifying school, this new league (which is basically a scheduling alliance without an autobid for a few years anyways) would at least get them guaranteed games while the rest of D-I plays its conference schedule. Play there 2-3 years, dominate, keep your attendance up, and you're well positioned for AHA or wherever.

Sometimes you need to take intermediate steps before reaching your end goal.