Misericordia Adding Men's Ice Hockey for 2024-25

[Scott_TG]

Another MAC school launching ice hockey, the 3rd in the Scranton-Wilkes Barre "metro" area. The release says they intend to play in the UCHC as part of the MAC, but we are reaching the threshold where the MAC could be their own conference with their own autobid. Misericordia will be playing in the same facility as Wilkes....

If I'm the AD of a non-MAC UCHC school I'm making contigencies...

[jerrynu26]

Maybe this was the reason UU is going up? Although I am more inclined the push was to move all the other UU sports to D2, so hockey has no choice but to compete in a higher division.

[Scott_TG]

I doubt Misericordia starting or even a split of the MAC from the UCHC would be enough for UU to elevate all programs to D2 and have hockey compete in D1.

I think Utica could have found another conference for hockey. The UCHC would be down to Utica, Nazareth, Manhattanville and Chatham without the MAC schools. They would need two more programs, either new programs or perhaps luring back Elmira and Hobart/William Smith somehow? The SOS would be better without all of the MAC programs...but Elmira in its financial situation is a risk unto itself.

[jerrynu26]

I doubt Misericordia starting or even a split of the MAC from the UCHC would be enough for UU to elevate all programs to D2 and have hockey compete in D1.

I think Utica could have found another conference for hockey. The UCHC would be down to Utica, Nazareth, Manhattanville and Chatham without the MAC schools. They would need two more programs, either new programs or perhaps luring back Elmira and Hobart/William Smith somehow? The SOS would be better without all of the MAC programs...but Elmira in its financial situation is a risk unto itself.

I actually agree with this. I should have added a T.I.C. In part of my post.
IMO, Hockey was never the reason for moving everything else to D2, but being a D2 school, men’s hockey doesn’t have a lot of options. It’s unlikely either Hobart or Elmira returns to the UCHC from an auto if league, and face the prospect of another school dropping hockey, removing the auto bid.

[CUgradUUfan]

Maybe this was the reason UU is going up? Although I am more inclined the push was to move all the other UU sports to D2, so hockey has no choice but to compete in a higher division.

My understanding was the move to D2 was done so hockey could go D1, not the other way around. Heenan is the one leading the push, with the school supporting him. However I believe the push from within (Heenan) to make the move has been going on for a few years now, so I doubt this issue with MAC schools has anything to do with it.

[Russell Jaslow]

My understanding was the move to D2 was done so hockey could go D1, not the other way around. Heenan is the one leading the push, with the school supporting him. However I believe the push from within (Heenan) to make the move has been going on for a few years now, so I doubt this issue with MAC schools has anything to do with it.

I always believed the push was from hockey and by extension, Heenan.

But it has nothing to do with the MAC situation. You don't spend this kind of money and effort to move an entire athletic department to D2 just because you may have an issue finding a D3 conference to play in. Not to mention, the biggest problem with this move up has been finding a D1 conference to play in. So, that would be terribly ironic if the push was due to a conference situation.

[dhammond]

If the MAC splits away from the UCHC, I wonder if the UCHC would add Canton, MCLA, or Anna Maria to keep the autobid? Women could add Hilbert instead of Canton. Don’t know if this is a real possibility or not.

[spwood]

Does MAC have a requirement to sponsor a sport if a certain number of teams are playing? I think the SUNYAC has that requirement. I know the Big Ten (Fourteen) has it...

[jerrynu26]

If the MAC splits away from the UCHC, I wonder if the UCHC would add Canton, MCLA, or Anna Maria to keep the autobid? Women could add Hilbert instead of Canton. Don’t know if this is a real possibility or not.

unsure of the others, but MCLA could only go MASCAC.

[Scott_TG]

I totally forgot MCLA was starting up

[bakdraft21]

UCHC,,,seems like they might want to start a conference in Penn??

[Dolphin1717]

It is in the works. I believe the hold up is Utica moving. But I think we will see a PA based league soon. I think Chatham will be left out since they are on an island.

alvernia
arcadia
leb valley
kings
wilkes
mis
stevenson
neumann

This gets them an AQ and removes the travel to western PA and upstate NY.

The true question becomes what happens to Naz, Manville, and Chatham if this league happens and Utica goes d1?

[Scott_TG]

The PA conference will be the UCHC teams that are all in the MAC multisport conference

[Jensen35]

It is in the works. I believe the hold up is Utica moving. But I think we will see a PA based league soon. I think Chatham will be left out since they are on an island.

alvernia
arcadia
leb valley
kings
wilkes
mis
stevenson
neumann

This gets them an AQ and removes the travel to western PA and upstate NY.

The true question becomes what happens to Naz, Manville, and Chatham if this league happens and Utica goes d1?

Wilkes is leaving the MAC for the Landmark Conference. I would guess they would be out as well since they will no longer be part of the MAC.

[Dolphin1717]

Associate membership