Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

[hawkhockey]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

Could you be a little more specific on the pending legislation.I am guessing it has to do with moving only one sport up to DI,as they would rather deal with
an all sport move up.Any guesses on the timeline for a vote and chance of paasage.

 

[LtPowers]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

Under current legislation, Yes.

Isn't the moratorium on play-ups still in place? Schools can't even apply for a play-up until the moratorium is over in August 2011, I thought. In which case, best-case scenario would be a transition year in 2012-13 before a team could join a D-I conference in 2013-14.


Powers &8^]

 

[CARDS_rule_the_Burgh]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

Isn't the moratorium on play-ups still in place? Schools can't even apply for a play-up until the moratorium is over in August 2011, I thought. In which case, best-case scenario would be a transition year in 2012-13 before a team could join a D-I conference in 2013-14.


Powers &8^]

From the DI Moratorium FAQ on NCAA.org

Q. Is it permissible for an institution to begin the exploratory membership process during the moratorium?
A. No. Institutions may not begin the exploratory year of the provisional or reclassification process during the moratorium. Institutions may start an exploratory year beginning with the 2011-2012 academic year. Petitions to begin the exploratory year during the 2011-12 academic year should be received in the NCAA national office not later than June 1, 2011.

 

[hawkhockey]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

hearing from reliable sources that USM(definitely) and UMB(possibly) are leaving the ECACE and joining the MASCAC league.Skidmore taking a hard look at leaving and joining ECACW.This is getting interesting

 

[NUProf]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

hearing from reliable sources that USM(definitely) and UMB(possibly) are leaving the ECACE and joining the MASCAC league.Skidmore taking a hard look at leaving and joining ECACW.This is getting interesting

The whole landscape is likely to be verrry different in 11-12. My guess is that the ECAC E will siphon off the best programs in the ECAC NE, and the ultimate victim of all this nonsense (which was started by the MASCAC, continued by the NESCAC) is going to be the ECAC NE. It's not clear how the ECAC W will end up - chances are that both the W and NE will end up collectively having enough programs to support a Pool B bid.

 

[hawk]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

The whole landscape is likely to be verrry different in 11-12. My guess is that the ECAC E will siphon off the best programs in the ECAC NE, and the ultimate victim of all this nonsense (which was started by the MASCAC, continued by the NESCAC) is going to be the ECAC NE. It's not clear how the ECAC W will end up - chances are that both the W and NE will end up collectively having enough programs to support a Pool B bid.

Trying to figure out what the MASCAC league attraction is other than travel time and cost. I would be interested in hearing how fans rate this league with the other leagues in the country. Salem and Southern Maine if they come into the league have had success but the rest of the teams have had little success or recognition D3 wide. Maybe someone can also tell me if they plan to bring there level of play up to the NESCAC and ECAC East.

I have been afraid to mention this but both Norwich and Castleton have other options that have not been mentioned on the board. I assume that Norwich isn't going to part of any league that doesn't compare favorable with the SUNYAC and ECAC West.

 

[d3follower]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

Trying to figure out what the MASCAC league attraction is other than travel time and cost. I would be interested in hearing how fans rate this league with the other leagues in the country. Salem and Southern Maine if they come into the league have had success but the rest of the teams have had little success or recognition D3 wide. Maybe someone can also tell me if they plan to bring there level of play up to the NESCAC and ECAC East.

UMass-Dartmouth had an off-year but usually puts together an excellent team. Salem has a solid program. Fitchburg and Westfield seem to be very much on the move. We know that Plymouth is about to open a nice new rink, which should really help its program. Only Worcester and Framingham seem to be serious laggards . . Given the apparent problems in the ECAC East, I can see why USM would consider joining a league that is made up of similar public institutions.

 

[dreamer6]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

Given the apparent problems in the ECAC East, I can see why USM would consider joining a league that is made up of similar public institutions.

I agree, USM is quite similar to many of the schools in the MASCAC league.

 

[joecct]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

The whole landscape is likely to be verrry different in 11-12. My guess is that the ECAC E will siphon off the best programs in the ECAC NE, and the ultimate victim of all this nonsense (which was started by the MASCAC, continued by the NESCAC) is going to be the ECAC NE. It's not clear how the ECAC W will end up - chances are that both the W and NE will end up collectively having enough programs to support a Pool B bid.

Lest we forget....
Trip back to post #1 in this thread.

And the silly season that has the lineups for 11/12 will begin on????????

But Prof, on the Pool B bid. Will Norwich gamble on a Pool B to get into the tournament??? Shouldn't the East and West merge and guarentee an AQ AND a decent SOS to gobble up a Pool C? It'll be a 12 team league, assuming they siphon off 1 NE team with a 6/6 split between CCCP and Pretzel.

 

[NUProf]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

Lest we forget....
Trip back to post #1 in this thread.

And the silly season that has the lineups for 11/12 will begin on????????

But Prof, on the Pool B bid. Will Norwich gamble on a Pool B to get into the tournament??? Shouldn't the East and West merge and guarentee an AQ AND a decent SOS to gobble up a Pool C? It'll be a 12 team league, assuming they siphon off 1 NE team with a 6/6 split between CCCP and Pretzel.

No, Norwich won't want to swim in Pool B. My current concept is that the East will suck the life out of the NE by taking on Wentworth and Curry to replace the next two defections. That would leave the NE with only 6 teams.

 

[CARDS_rule_the_Burgh]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

No, Norwich won't want to swim in Pool B. My current concept is that the East will suck the life out of the NE by taking on Wentworth and Curry to replace the next two defections. That would leave the NE with only 6 teams.

If they brough in Curry and Wentworth, they could survive all three defections, if Skidmore is seriously considering a move to the ECAC-W. THey have 8 DIIIs right now. Lose USM, UMB, and Skidmore, leaving 5. Then draw Curry and WIT, returning your conference to Pool A.

Skidmore would bring the ECAC-W back to its all-time high of 6 DIII schools... I still liked joecct's suggestion of bringing them all in as associate members of the SUNYAC in Men's Ice Hockey. That way the ECAC-W school have the possibility of an AQ, the Elmira-Plattsburgh series has no way to die out, and it'd be a DARN GOOD conference, if I do say so myself. Plattsburgh, Oswego, Elmira, Hobart, Manhattanville, all in the same conference? Yes, please!

But in all seriousness, it looks as though it's going to be survival of the fittest in the New England DIII Hockey conferences, and the ECAC-NE is going to be the big loser in all this. Since the conference is going to suffer big-time anyway, perhaps the ECAC-W could siphon off Western New England to get the AQ? Telling them that they can move to help create an AQ in order to avoid permanently losing one might be enough of an argument for them to jump... or maybe not...

 

[joecct]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

No, Norwich won't want to swim in Pool B. My current concept is that the East will suck the life out of the NE by taking on Wentworth and Curry to replace the next two defections. That would leave the NE with only 6 teams.

And a long shot, at best, at getting a Pool C shot. Effectively, the NE and the MASCAC switch places in the slim to none shot of playing in the post season.

Is this good?

 

[hawkhockey]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

The "New" ECACE
Definitely IN Babson,Castleton,NEC,Norwich,UNE
Definitely out St.A's,St.Mike's,USM
Probably out UMB
Maybe Out Skidmore
Probably In Curry,Wentworth
Maybe In Salve Regina
Change is good?

 

[NUProf]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

The "New" ECACE
Definitely IN Babson,Castleton,NEC,Norwich,UNE
Definitely out St.A's,St.Mike's,USM
Probably out UMB
Maybe Out Skidmore
Probably In Curry,Wentworth
Maybe In Salve Regina
Change is good?

I think that one reason that Skidmore might think about leaving is that they fancy themselves as a NESCAC-type school, and the interlock let them play in that sandbox.

Another "maybe in" - Manhattanville - They are in the ECAC E for women's hockey, and would love to get into Pool A.

Blame the MASCAC for de-stabilizing this and then the NEASAC for being the straw that broke the camel's back by breaking the Interlock. The only way something like this doesn't happen is if the status of DII programs is changed. If not, it's going to be a game of musical chairs almost like the circus among the 12 team Big 10, the 10 team Big 12, and the 12 team PAC 10.

 

[3rdLiner]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

I think we are forgetting that in the last 5 years the ECAC East has been a very good league on its own. I think there may be a little more of a fight to keep it. Even USM and Boston are not excited to leave. If the ECAC gets their act together they should be able to maintain the East by simply moving out the D-II and coming up with a good ECAC East Schedule.

I think the West is too far for the rest of the ECAC and they have needed help with teams for a few years and no body is interested. The NE has a few good teams that need to leave and want to leave Curry and Wentworth are the two.

The NE and D-II can still play each other all they want they is a history there and they are all close.

West is in a tough spot but due their depth they are OK, the East needs to keep together to keep growing the teams like Boston, Castleton, Skidmore, USM, and UNE.

UNE, USM, Boston and Castleton in the MASCAC or NE become very average to below average teams, where in the East they are still trying to be better and compete at a higher level.

 

[nefan]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

The "New" ECACE
Definitely IN Babson,Castleton,NEC,Norwich,UNE
Definitely out St.A's,St.Mike's,USM
Probably out UMB
Maybe Out Skidmore
Probably In Curry,Wentworth
Maybe In Salve Regina
Change is good?

Why would Curry, Wentworth, Nichols, Salve want to leave the NE and join the East??? The Northeast is in great shape. They play 14 Conference games and a conference tournament that gets them an AQ. They also get to play 11 Non-Conference games against whoever they want. This also gives them the opportunity to get an At-Large bid depending on how aggressive they want to be with the NC games. And DO NOT tell me that cannot happen, see Curry 03-04. If you look at Wentworth, Nichols, Curry, non-conference schedule you will see that this is possible. Have a great year in the league lose in an upset in the finals but have an 8-3, 9-2, 7-4 NC record against the top teams in the East then you have a shot!! To jump into the east and its uncertainty would not be smart by anyone in the NE.

 

[NUProf]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

Why would Curry, Wentworth, Nichols, Salve want to leave the NE and join the East??? The Northeast is in great shape. They play 14 Conference games and a conference tournament that gets them an AQ. They also get to play 11 Non-Conference games against whoever they want. This also gives them the opportunity to get an At-Large bid depending on how aggressive they want to be with the NC games. And DO NOT tell me that cannot happen, see Curry 03-04. If you look at Wentworth, Nichols, Curry, non-conference schedule you will see that this is possible. Have a great year in the league lose in an upset in the finals but have an 8-3, 9-2, 7-4 NC record against the top teams in the East then you have a shot!! To jump into the east and its uncertainty would not be smart by anyone in the NE.

This is always the question whenever league alignments are changing. Some schools want to belong to what in BB they call a "mid major" (weird term, because there are no "high major" or "low major" conferences) because it enhances their opportunity to get to post season play. That appears to be the thinking that is going on at USM and UMB. Other schools would rather swim with the big fish for prestige and competition reasons - why else would Northwestern continue to belong to the Big T(welv)en? The answer is that every school has its own reasons for aligning with the conferences that they choose. There have been rumors about Wentworth, Curry, and Manhattanville wanting to join the ECAC East in the past when there have been openings - the rumors pointed to the NESCAC as presenting a veto of the proposed schools. I don't know that this is fact, but those rumors would seem to be the source of the speculation.

 

[reggiedunlop]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

On Thursday NCAA Coaches can speak to High School seniors, most hockey coaches are at camps or tournaments and eligible players for the 2011-2012 season are contacting coaches. What are these conversations regarding conferences? Isn't it time for USCHO to contact the conferences directly and ask specific questions, write a USCHO.COM article and assist eligible players to start making educated decisions about whom to concentrate their efforts? A mention of the NCAA DI football conferences is valid to applaud their decision making process to finalize re-alignment before the July 1 date permitting coach-recruit contact. Certainly with all the meetings between College Presidents, A.D.s and Conferences, decisions have been made. We all appreciate the insight from those who post, but the mystery should be revealed by an inquisitive hockey press.

 

[CROSBYNU63]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

I believe the ECAC E is meeting tomorrow to discuss the situation.

 

[Matthew Webb]

Re: Eastern D-III hockey -- where do we go from here???

I believe the ECAC E is meeting tomorrow to discuss the situation.

I'm a bit confused here. What exactly does the situation entail? Or what is the specific issue here, perhaps?

Edit: He referring to the (potential) conference realignment and saying it's only fair that recruits know what is going on?