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Atlantic Hockey Adds to Scholarship Limit, Mulls Expansion

Re: Atlantic Hockey Adds to Scholarship Limit, Mulls Expansion

I know what I want, and I am hopeful that in a few years it comes to fruition. The NE-10 hockey is a joke. The schools who play in it are kidding themselves into thinking they have anything real to play for. I have spoken with fellow alums of mine from SNHU and I think the sentiment is that we need to get serious about hockey and make a move to D1 (preferably in all sports, but definetely in hockey) or we need to drop the program. D2 hockey does nothing for me as an alum. I attend many more events for our other sports teams, soccer and baseball especially because they have the ability to compete and play for a true championship. Hockey just plays in little rink and have lower attendence then many high schools.

We have a new AD starting next week and there is suppose to be a feasibilty study on athletic facilities. My interpretation on that is it has to be a feasibilty on our hockey facility because all of our other facilities are top notch at the D2 level. It is time for us to put up or shut up, and I think the AHA would be an ideal landing spot for us in the event we begin to care about competing. I only hope the AHA would have us.
 
Re: Atlantic Hockey Adds to Scholarship Limit, Mulls Expansion

hockeyjunkie10 said:
You have it pretty much down. The service academies are obviously tuition free. RIT has their financial aid setup that has been discussed. Departing member UConn had not offered scholarships until this year but all of their players live off campus and end up paying in-state tuition. The rest of the schools are scholarship schools with AIC never using the league maximum allotment. SHU has also not awarded 12 scholarships in recent years, but they appear to have returned to the league maximum for 2013-2014.

Prior to RMU & NU joining the conference, the vote was always deadlocked as RIT, AFA, Army, UConn, and AIC would always vote the way that best served them. UConn leaving and NU ad RMU joining pretty much sealed the fate of this scholarship increase though the economy probably didn't help.
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Thanks, I think I understand now. So essentially 8 of the remaining schools would potentially add the extra scholarships, finances allowing. Hopefully that will help. Would be nice if AIC would step up a little more, but I guess that's a separate discussion.

Does anyone know the scoop on St. Anselm? I remember them from the old D-II/D-III days when they used to field some some good teams, but know they recently got caught in the D-II purgatory. They are similar to Union in being a private liberal arts college of about 2000 students, which makes me wonder what their facilities are like or what they would be willing to invest in hockey.
 
Re: Atlantic Hockey Adds to Scholarship Limit, Mulls Expansion

ADK11 said:
Thanks, I think I understand now. So essentially 8 of the remaining schools would potentially add the extra scholarships, finances allowing. Hopefully that will help. Would be nice if AIC would step up a little more, but I guess that's a separate discussion.

Does anyone know the scoop on St. Anselm? I remember them from the old D-II/D-III days when they used to field some some good teams, but know they recently got caught in the D-II purgatory. They are similar to Union in being a private liberal arts college of about 2000 students, which makes me wonder what their facilities are like or what they would be willing to invest in hockey.
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Their on campus hockey rink is a gem, esp. considering they play D3/NE-10 schools...

http://www.saintanselmhawks.com/information/Athletic_Facilities/Sullivan_Arena

Arena is good the way it is, the issue comes with the increase travel costs from having to play outside of New England.

They are indeed a small liberal arts school just on the outskirts of Manchester and their campus is a beautiful one at that...
 
Re: Atlantic Hockey Adds to Scholarship Limit, Mulls Expansion

SNHUPenman said:
Their on campus hockey rink is a gem, esp. considering they play D3/NE-10 schools...
http://www.saintanselmhawks.com/information/Athletic_Facilities/Sullivan_Arena
Arena is good the way it is, the issue comes with the increase travel costs from having to play outside of New England.
They are indeed a small liberal arts school just on the outskirts of Manchester and their campus is a beautiful one at that...
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Nice looking rink and appears there were some rich doners that made it happen, so looks promising.

As a FWIW/BTW, I attended the same summer hockey camp (10 million years ago LOL) in Lake Placid as SA's coach Ed Seney. He played college hockey under Bill Beaney (a fellow Lake Placider) at New England College and was his assistant coach there for a couple of years. A real nice family and they know their hockey.
 
Re: Atlantic Hockey Adds to Scholarship Limit, Mulls Expansion

Looks like you can take URI off the list of possibilities for Atlantic. That's assuming it was accurate they were ever on it.

URI: No interest in varsity hockey

The problem is URI officials have no interest in upgrading the current program from club status to a varsity sport in either men’s or women’s hockey, says URI sports information director Mike Lepray. ``We’re not pursuing adding either men’s or women’s hockey to varsity status.’’
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Re: Atlantic Hockey Adds to Scholarship Limit, Mulls Expansion

lmg6841 said:
Interesting. I'm pretty sure the AHA commissioner said earlier this year that URI said they were interested. Oh well, the St. A's it is then.
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Too lazy to find the quote, but I believe the AHA commissioner said they were talking with two teams, but have yet to receive formal applications. My guess is that URI sniffed around but wasn't serious enough to make it formal.

If that's the case the St. Anselm could back out just as easily since they haven't submitted a formal application. Although if they do, it might be a slam dunk as the only one instead of having to compete for the lone spot.
 
Re: Atlantic Hockey Adds to Scholarship Limit, Mulls Expansion

It's odd that someone in a booster organization (per The Boston Herald) and the school's SID (per RI Public Radio) would be so far apart on their impressions of URI's hockey future. The booster was quoted as saying it was definitely going to happen, just a question of which year in the immediate future. Meanwhile, the SID is quoted as saying the university has no interest in varsity hockey.

Could The Herald have jumped the gun and relied on an over zealous booster trying to force the issue, meanwhile DeGregario is quitely biting his tongue because its actually an entirely different school?

I refuse to give up on Navy. Just sayin'.
 
Re: Atlantic Hockey Adds to Scholarship Limit, Mulls Expansion

UMainah said:
I think federal regulations say that you are limited to 14 hours total and you can't drive for longer than 8 hours without a 30min rest break. Also break time is included in the 14 hours, not in addition to it. I'm not sure if there are different limits for people carrying passengers though.
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Would have to think its something close to that.
 
ADK11 said:
Nice looking rink and appears there were some rich doners that made it happen
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Donor is an alum of Bentley and word was that prior to the economic meltdown he was going to pop for a big chunk of an on campus barn.
 
Re: Atlantic Hockey Adds to Scholarship Limit, Mulls Expansion

slowe said:
Too lazy to find the quote, but I believe the AHA commissioner said they were talking with two teams, but have yet to receive formal applications. My guess is that URI sniffed around but wasn't serious enough to make it formal.

If that's the case the St. Anselm could back out just as easily since they haven't submitted a formal application. Although if they do, it might be a slam dunk as the only one instead of having to compete for the lone spot.
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St. A's is just as likely to drop down to D3 in all sports as they are to move up in hockey...I would have to think they will stop sitting on the fence and make a decision sooner than later. But that is truely a guess, I have NO knowledge of anything with that school.
 
Re: Atlantic Hockey Adds to Scholarship Limit, Mulls Expansion

I know tat several years ago Rhode Island approached the UConn athletic department about how it played hockey in the Atlantic as part of a feasibility study of some sort.I think it was an informal or at least internal type of preliminary look. But when the economy went south they didn't pursue it. St A's to me would not be a bid fit on the other hand. they have a very nice arena. they have been playing forever. They are in the "footprint" and wouldn't be any worse travel than Storrs would be. Rhody obviously would fit that as well. They already compete with Bentley and AIC in the NE 10 in other sports so there is a relationship there too.
 
Re: Atlantic Hockey Adds to Scholarship Limit, Mulls Expansion

Does anyone know if Delaware has ever considered upgrading their club team? If Navy were to join the AHA, geographically Delaware could become a travel partner of sorts. They have a succesful history, an on campus facility, and they are D1 in everything else.
 
UNHHurstFan said:
Does anyone know if Delaware has ever considered upgrading their club team? If Navy were to join the AHA, geographically Delaware could become a travel partner of sorts. They have a succesful history, an on campus facility, and they are D1 in everything else.
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Do the Blue Hens still use the same helmet graphics as the Wolverines? Bad enough in football....would be really lame in hockey.
 
UNHHurstFan said:
Does anyone know if Delaware has ever considered upgrading their club team? If Navy were to join the AHA, geographically Delaware could become a travel partner of sorts. They have a succesful history, an on campus facility, and they are D1 in everything else.
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The main rink is definitely D-I quality, but unless DuPont kicks in big $$$, no. The economics is against them.
 
Re: Atlantic Hockey Adds to Scholarship Limit, Mulls Expansion

TigerFan86-87 said:
Actually, most (if not all) AHA schools did fill up their 7 NCs this past season. Even AIC did for once. I think Army may not have filled all 34 with NCAA teams (RMC was one game), but at least did play 34 times.
Thanks Penn State :)
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AIC has gotten filled up the past couple of years. I guess that's what happens when you're assumed to be a "cake team". ;) Army was short because of the Icebreaker (doesn't count against your 34) and the exhibition you mentioned. I believe there were a couple other schools that had available dates; sometimes it happens out west because of the Alaska exemption and other tournaments.
 
Re: Atlantic Hockey Adds to Scholarship Limit, Mulls Expansion

I think the AHA teams mostly did fill their non-conference games and have for a few years now. Army might be the exception because of the RMC game, but for everyone else they mostly did. AIC had 6 non-conference games I think, but I htink that happened because of a scheduling snafu not purposely.
 
Re: Atlantic Hockey Adds to Scholarship Limit, Mulls Expansion

Adding a few additional scholarships over the next couple of years should make for some stronger hockey so that is a positive. What other steps do you think will make this conference more competitive.

Can someone give us an idea of which teams are better positioned to be successful, out of the ten teams which ones are putting rubber to road in order in icing a winning team. I know everyone wants to win, certain programs go the extra mile with coaching, recruitment and expectations.

What are the best hockey programs in Atlantic Hockey by groupings perhaps tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 of the current teams.
 
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