HarleyMC
Registered User
Re: Big Ten Hockey Conference Pt III - Revenge of the Sith.
Some reactions to the BTHC around the NCAA D1 Men's hockey community:
Some reactions to the BTHC around the NCAA D1 Men's hockey community:
Bowling Green athletics director Greg Christopher was quick to reiterate that the news does not shake Bowling Green's commitment to its hockey program.
"When we went through the process a couple of years ago, we put our stake in the ground that we were going to sponsor a strong hockey program," he said. "I'm not concerned about this news affecting the future of hockey at Bowling Green. "We're going in a great direction with Chris Bergeron as coach. We're going to be fine." "I don't like to see teams who have been in the league for a long time go away," Bergeron said. "But we've got a job to do here at Bowling Green, and this news doesn't change that. "My focus has to be to make a strong program here at Bowling Green, just as it was before this announcement."
Miami University Director of Athletics Brad Bates is not wringing his hands about what the future might hold for the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.
I think there is enough strength in this league, with the teams that will remain, that will keep this a vibrant conference, he said. The RedHawks have developed strong rivalries with all the Big Ten teams. But there is a core group of teams that will enable the CCHA to remain a very strong league as evidenced by the fact that two (Mid-American Conference) schools played for the championship last week, Bates said, referring to Miami and Western Michigan.
NMU head coach Walt Kyle has a different outlook, however, for a sport that has lost programs like Findlay in 2004 and Wayne State in 2008.
"I think it's great for college hockey that we are adding teams like the caliber of Penn State," Kyle said. "I think we've been talking about expanding college hockey for years and we want that. We can't cry when it happens. It's going to be a change. There's certainly going to be a change, but Northern is certainly committed to having a quality Division I hockey team in a quality Division I conference."
NMU Associate Athletics Director of Operations and acting Athletic Director Steve Reed said the university is committed to the CCHA and following the lead of Anastos. NMU President Les Wong echoed that sentiment, saying NMU will continue to be competitive at a national level. "Northern Michigan University is continuing to aggressively participate in conversations with fellow CCHA member institutions about the future landscape of NCAA Division I college hockey," Wong said in a prepared statement. "We are committed to play hockey competitively at the highest level possible.
Minnesota State athletic director Kevin Buisman is hopeful that a fair and balanced scheduling arrangement can be worked out between the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and the Big Ten when the latter starts its own men's hockey conference in two years. There are some concerns about not having those kinds of programs coming into your building, Buisman said. But we're still working on a possible scheduling arrangement with those schools. I'm optimistic that our schedule would not be tremendously different than it is now.
Of the 12 largest hockey crowds in the history of the Verizon Wireless Center, seven, including the top two, were games in which MSU played Minnesota or Wisconsin. The other five were games against North Dakota. This season, the largest crowd of the year saw a game against Minnesota Duluth. We'll continue to have, week in and week out, the best in college hockey here, Buisman said. There have been some good, healthy discussions among the teams remaining in the WCHA, he said.
Notre Dame hockey coach Jeff Jackson said Monday the move has been talked about for some time and was not a surprise. I think it's really been pushed by the Big Ten Network more than anything, Jackson said. It's going to have a huge impact on both the CCHA and the WCHA. In our American Hockey Coaches Association meetings this spring, I am sure there is going to be a lot of discussion about the proper direction to go. I think it's important we take a strong look at what's going to actually be the landscape of college hockey, not just the CCHA, Jackson continued. The entirety of college hockey is influenced by this.
The university's commitment is rather obvious with the new facility, he said of the Compton Family Center, where the Irish will begin playing hockey next season. I think the importance of our sport, not just on campus but nationally, is huge. Notre Dame is going to be fine. It's just a matter of how things pan out.
The decision here as far as where we go forward is really to look at all options on the table within our league, and as we look at other leagues, and to really be actively involved in the discussions, and we are doing that, Western Michigan University director of athletics Kathy Beauregard said. There really isn't anything that I can comment on or anything that's been finalized one way or another. I think everyone knew the Big Ten announcement was going to be coming out this week, and there are discussions going on within every university's campus on topics that are going to affect the (CCHA) and what we need to do to position our university to be ready for when decisions have to be made.
Nebraska-Omaha coach Dean Blais is one of the more vocal opponents to the move, telling The Associated Press on Monday that he's not sure it will be good for the programs at Minnesota and Wisconsin to leave the WCHA. We've known it's coming, but we have to look at whether it's good for hockey in general, said Blais, whose team moved from the CCHA to the WCHA this season. Is it a money-driven thing? Are you going to tell me Iowa is going to add hockey because it's a Big Ten sport now? Come on up, show me the money.
The Big Ten Conference announced Monday its intention to recommend the formation of its own hockey league, a move that could potentially help independent Alabama-Huntsville find a conference. UAH coach Chris Luongo said Monday that the Chargers will be involved in talks about new potential conferences. "We're excited things are starting to roll, since this has been on the horizon," he said. "There's going to be a lot of discussion among Division I hockey schools, and we plan on being in those." UAH has been without a conference since College Hockey America folded in 2009.
Lake Superior State coach Jim Roque viewed the announcement as positive for the sport. "I think it's good for college hockey," Roque said. "I think the Big Ten moniker's going to, obviously, provide more exposure to college hockey. I look at it this way: I'm in the water with all these schools. As the water rises, my boat rises, too.
"We don't recruit against those schools. That's not going to affect us. We're not going to lose a kid to the Big Ten league. The negative for us is, obviously, not getting those schools in our building, and I understand that part of it." But Roque said the home schedule won't be affected drastically. "Ohio State's never been a big draw for us," he said. "We've never had Wisconsin or Minnesota here. So, really, we're talking about two schools -- and we usually get one of them a year. We never get Michigan and Michigan State (at home) the same year. ... So you're talking about two home games a year, basically."
Ferris State coach Bob Daniels said the CCHA has been a strong league and will continue to be so. "I know we're committed to being a strong member, and we would look forward to continuing our rivalries with the (Big Ten) schools, just through nonconference play," Daniels said.
Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis released a statement in support of the new Big Ten hockey league Monday. "I believe that sponsoring men's ice hockey will enhance the conference, its member institutions and college hockey," Hollis said. "Playing only 20 conference games will allow our programs to continue to play nonconference contests against in-state rivals, important tournaments like the Great Lakes Invitational and a competitive national schedule."
Ohio State coach Mark Osieck said in a statement: “Adding hockey to the Big Ten Conference helps keep the sport moving in the right direction. Having even more games on the Big Ten Network will raise awareness both of Ohio State’s program and college hockey in the United States and Canada.”
“We all knew this was coming,” Huskies coach Bob Motzko said. “It’s just that now there’s been a formal announcement, so it’s not like there’s a big reaction. Now that it’s official, I believe the dynamics of our league and scheduling will move forward. The teams in the (WCHA) are in good shape.”
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