Re: Atlantic Hockey Future
I think that this is part of the reason why RIT did not go to those meetings. In terms of an NCAA bid, it was a lateral move at best, and being in a league that would probably have full scholarships when RIT cannot give athletic scholarships would not benefit RIT.
Agree!
RIT is in a funny position. If they move into a tougher conference, they run the risk of becoming a middle-of-the-road squad. For example, if they move to the ECAC or became a member of the old CHA, then they gain nothing over joining the MAAC/AHA. RIT was such a good D3 program that the most pressing reason for moving to D1 would be because they could succeed.
I'm not saying RIT couldn't succeed in the ECAC but the move to the AHA benefitted them in a very strong way. They came up to D1, and they immediately made an impact. I fail to think that RIT could have done the same playing amongst the teams that, at the time, were insanely strong in the ECAC. The mid-to-late-2000s in ECAC were a great time; Cornell and Harvard were going back and forth, Yale was coming up, Clarkson and Quinnipiac were fantastic, and Brown, who is routinely a doormat, was producing Hobey Baker finalists. That's a good conference.
Meanwhile, the AHA/MAAC were fledgling along, provided a chance for this team from Rochester to come in and essentially play strong right from the get-go without having to battle the established powers. RIT did that and look at them now; they're clearly the class of AHA over the last five years, and they're increasing their program by building the new arena. It was a brilliant move.
In present day terms, RIT has a great thing going. They're consistently to be top four, with a few dips here and there due to the cyclical nature of college hockey. I think instead of shifting, RIT has actually taken an approach (and correct me if I'm wrong, please) of growing the present scenario to include MORE established teams. My conversations wtih RIT people have been very supportive of our approach at Bentley to play at the dingy JAR with the intention of moving on campus one day. And they understand the politics and economics of the situation. If it was clear that Bentley wasn't taking that approach as a hockey program, then they clearly wouldn't have that outward support. I think they agree that if the right situation presents itself, they can step forward and leave the conference. But they have a great thing, where the AHA hosts the conference final four in Rochester. And they have good rivalries.
I look at it this way - I hate RIT when we play them because they have such great support. And I want to beat them so badly for so many reasons. But at the same time, I don't want them to leave because I love that rivalry. It's the same feeling about Holy Cross.
