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Eastern Illinois adding D1 hockey?

S

slowe

Member
Uh, don't really know what to make of this yet.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/USCollegeHockey">@USCollegeHockey</a> we couldn't be more excited about the move. It was an honor to play in the ACHA but the time has come to join NCAA D1hockey</p>— EIU Hockey (@EIUHockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/EIUHockey/statuses/360582817962397696">July 26, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The CollegeHockey.info twitter account looks like a joke. Anything on their own I wouldn't put much stock in. However the reply is from the actual Eastern Illinois ACHA twitter account.

Summer prank or early announcement? Or master plan to trick stronger ACHA recruits to flock to their team in hopes of getting some time in the NCAA? Slow news day in the summer so at least worth posting. I'm sure if something more official comes along we'll hear about it.
 
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Re: Eastern Illinois adding D1 hockey?

This is a good thing. I've said we need more of the "character" schools in this game because that's what makes it interesting. The big lights might bring in the big bucks but that's never been why this is fun.
 
Re: Eastern Illinois adding D1 hockey?

If true it is out of left field, but I can see it. I'm not that familiar with Eastern, but it is a smart play. University of Illinois and Northwestern obviously have a lot going for them. Northern Illinois has a strong football program. Illinois State doesn't stand out really, but is bigger than Eastern I think. Illinois has a lot of hockey players but no D1 school. It would be a good way to carve out a niche for themselves.

As for how it would work? Again, if serious, they would need to build an arena on campus. There isn't even a small ice rink there. The ACHA team uses David S. Palmer Arena in Danville, IL which is about half an hour away. It's an arena built in 1980 that houses 2,300. It's been home to an NAHL team and several small minor league hockey teams, currently the Danville Dashers in the FHL. That might be a temporary plan, but they would have to build an arena on campus to be competitive.

I assume the WCHA would take them in a heartbeat. Another team to minimize travel to Alaska AND it would beat out Bowling Green to be the new closest team to Huntsville by about 150 miles and two hours by bus. It's not right in the middle of the footprint but it's close enough. Probably not "like minded" enough for the NCHC.

I'd love to see it since Illinois needs a D1 program. But at this point it's an unofficial tweet that might be a joke. Illinois isn't that rich, Eastern isn't that big, and I'm not sure how many sugar daddies they have lined up. Worth watching but I'll wait for something more.
 
Re: Eastern Illinois adding D1 hockey?

It's hard to take CollegeHockey.info seriously when they have no news on their web page outside of a College Hockey News widget.
 
Re: Eastern Illinois adding D1 hockey?

I didn't even know there was an "eastern" part of Illinois. Seems a bit like "northern Tennessee."
 
Re: Eastern Illinois adding D1 hockey?

slowe said:
If true Illinois isn't that rich, Eastern isn't that big, and I'm not sure how many sugar daddies they have lined up. Worth watching but I'll wait for something more.
Click to expand...
Who is Jimmy John's Subs?
 
Re: Eastern Illinois adding D1 hockey?

Not even taking this information with a grain of salt. Collegehockey.info has worse credibility than the National Enquirer.

The University of Illinois is the most likely team to make the jump to D-I out of that state, and they're probably light years away at best.
 
Re: Eastern Illinois adding D1 hockey?

So is Tony Romo footing the bill for this?

EIU is totally off the reservation as far as "making the jump" goes... If true, there are a ton of questions... Not holding my breath though...
 
Re: Eastern Illinois adding D1 hockey?

LynahFan said:
I didn't even know there was an "eastern" part of Illinois. Seems a bit like "northern Tennessee."
Click to expand...

icon14.png
 
Re: Eastern Illinois adding D1 hockey?

The cloud keeps getting bigger. U of Illinois hockey just put on facebook that there is a big announcement coming tomorrow, specifically calling out Illini hockey fans.
 
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