ECAC North Atlantic League forms

[PrezdeJohnson09]

Well we knew something was on the horizon and the first domino officially fell today.

The ECAC North Atlantic League has formed with eight founding members.

Daniel Webster
Salem State
Stevenson
Becker
Johnson & Wales
SUNY Canton
Endicott
Morrisville

http://www.ecacsports.com/news/2014-15/north_atlantic_hockey_league

The ECAC East remains with a staggering 14 teams (only 10 are Division III schools, Franklin Pierce, Saint Anselm, Saint Michael's and Holy Cross are D-II and D-I) and the ECAC West still checks in with 10. That brings us to 37 Division III teams in the East for 2015-16. Add in another 21 in the west and that's 58 women's D-III teams. With the access ratio of 6.5 per one team for the NCAA Tournament that gives us 8.92. We still need one more team on order to get to a nine team NCAA Tournament if my calculations are correct.

From what I understand, the ECAC North Atlantic will have to wait two years until they get an autobid to the NCAA Tournament.

Big day for D-III women's hockey.

 

[joecct]

Re: ECAC North Atlantic League forms

Travel partners? Stevenson is the outlier.

 

[obserbear]

Re: ECAC North Atlantic League forms

Well we knew something was on the horizon and the first domino officially fell today.

The ECAC North Atlantic League has formed with eight founding members.

Daniel Webster
Salem State
Stevenson
Becker
Johnson & Wales
SUNY Canton
Endicott
Morrisville

http://www.ecacsports.com/news/2014-15/north_atlantic_hockey_league

The ECAC East remains with a staggering 14 teams (only 10 are Division III schools, Franklin Pierce, Saint Anselm, Saint Michael's and Holy Cross are D-II and D-I) and the ECAC West still checks in with 10. That brings us to 37 Division III teams in the East for 2015-16. Add in another 21 in the west and that's 58 women's D-III teams. With the access ratio of 6.5 per one team for the NCAA Tournament that gives us 8.92. We still need one more team on order to get to a nine team NCAA Tournament if my calculations are correct.

From what I understand, the ECAC North Atlantic will have to wait two years until they get an autobid to the NCAA Tournament.

Big day for D-III women's hockey.

Very interesting development. The domino which will really continue the shake up is the one announcing another SUNY school starting women's hockey. How would the NCAA set the field in a 9 team tournament?

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

Re: ECAC North Atlantic League forms

Travel partners? Stevenson is the outlier.

We were talking about this in the office today and I have to think they'll go with a similiar system that the ECAC West does and play two-game series on a weekend. SUNY Canton, SUNY Morrisville and Stevenson are on islands basically for this league.

And as obserbear correctly points out, we now have six SUNY schools playing women's hockey. I have to believe with one more a SUNYAC women's league will likely form.

 

[joecct]

Very interesting development. The domino which will really continue the shake up is the one announcing another SUNY school starting women's hockey. How would the NCAA set the field in a 9 team tournament?

8 plays 9 on Wednesday and the winner plays #1 on Saturday, always observing the 400 mile rule and limiting flights.

 

[obserbear]

Re: ECAC North Atlantic League forms

We were talking about this in the office today and I have to think they'll go with a similiar system that the ECAC West does and play two-game series on a weekend. SUNY Canton, SUNY Morrisville and Stevenson are on islands basically for this league.

And as obserbear correctly points out, we now have six SUNY schools playing women's hockey. I have to believe with one more a SUNYAC women's league will likely form.

Am I missing something, but aren't there 7? Plattsburgh, Cortland, Buffalo St., Oswego, Potsdam, Morrisville and Canton? I was thinking the magic # was 8.

 

[CARDS_rule_the_Burgh]

Am I missing something, but aren't there 7? Plattsburgh, Cortland, Buffalo St., Oswego, Potsdam, Morrisville and Canton? I was thinking the magic # was 8.

SUNY Canton isn't a member of the SUNYAC. Morrisville isn't a full member, and might not count either (they only have Men's Ice Hockey and I believe Field Hockey in the SUNYAC), so we may actually be 2 away from that becoming an inevitability...

 

[joecct]

SUNY Canton isn't a member of the SUNYAC. Morrisville isn't a full member, and might not count either (they only have Men's Ice Hockey and I believe Field Hockey in the SUNYAC), so we may actually be 2 away from that becoming an inevitability...

The MASCAC men got to 7 by adding two Little East schools as affiliate members. It can be done.

 

[Call It]

Re: ECAC North Atlantic League forms

These teams are mostly newer teams? Would the other leagues not accept them?

 

[Scott_TG]

Re: ECAC North Atlantic League forms

SUNY Canton isn't a member of the SUNYAC. Morrisville isn't a full member, and might not count either (they only have Men's Ice Hockey and I believe Field Hockey in the SUNYAC), so we may actually be 2 away from that becoming an inevitability...

The SUNYAC constitution is no longer public, but according to the last version that was made public:

A sport may be designated for Conference competition when at least 60% of the
member institutions sponsor teams in that sport.

If this hasn't been changed, the number is only 6 so long as there are no new full members. If Canton had become a full member it would have pushed the number up to 7 as 60% of 11 is of course 6.6.

 

[Scott_TG]

Re: ECAC North Atlantic League forms

These teams are mostly newer teams? Would the other leagues not accept them?

I don't think it's a matter of not being accepted, but being new programs it would have taken longer to get to a level where they can reach the NCAA tournament over the perennial contenders of the given conference they'd join.

Now, I believe they get an autobid to the tournament and only have to beat out other young programs for it. This could help recruiting where talent might hesitate joining a program without a history of winning because they're less likely to make the tournament.

 

[CrossCheck]

Re: ECAC North Atlantic League forms

Well we knew something was on the horizon and the first domino officially fell today.

The ECAC North Atlantic League has formed with eight founding members.

Daniel Webster
Salem State
Stevenson
Becker
Johnson & Wales
SUNY Canton
Endicott
Morrisville

http://www.ecacsports.com/news/2014-15/north_atlantic_hockey_league

The ECAC East remains with a staggering 14 teams (only 10 are Division III schools, Franklin Pierce, Saint Anselm, Saint Michael's and Holy Cross are D-II and D-I) and the ECAC West still checks in with 10. That brings us to 37 Division III teams in the East for 2015-16. Add in another 21 in the west and that's 58 women's D-III teams. With the access ratio of 6.5 per one team for the NCAA Tournament that gives us 8.92. We still need one more team on order to get to a nine team NCAA Tournament if my calculations are correct.

From what I understand, the ECAC North Atlantic will have to wait two years until they get an autobid to the NCAA Tournament.

Big day for D-III women's hockey.

Holy Mo-ley.....Talk about a conference consisting 100% of the Little Sisters of the Poor....and they get an automatic bid to the NCAA's? Big Day for women's hockey? I think just the opposite....Giving an autobid to a feeble conf does nothing to better the game.

 

[Scott_TG]

Re: ECAC North Atlantic League forms

Holy Mo-ley.....Talk about a conference consisting 100% of the Little Sisters of the Poor....and they get an automatic bid to the NCAA's? Big Day for women's hockey? I think just the opposite....Giving an autobid to a feeble conf does nothing to better the game.

It's awful short term but providing these schools easier access to the big dance could help them get to a position where they can recruit good players in a shorter amount of time meaning a couple of them could become top flight programs in shorter order. I'm not 100% sure I even buy this argument but I do see that counterpoint to those thinking it's utter bs this conference gets an autobid.

 

[Hux]

Re: ECAC North Atlantic League forms

It's awful short term but providing these schools easier access to the big dance could help them get to a position where they can recruit good players in a shorter amount of time meaning a couple of them could become top flight programs in shorter order. I'm not 100% sure I even buy this argument but I do see that counterpoint to those thinking it's utter bs this conference gets an autobid.

I agree, but two years seems a bit quick. Four not so bad.

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

Holy Mo-ley.....Talk about a conference consisting 100% of the Little Sisters of the Poor....and they get an automatic bid to the NCAA's? Big Day for women's hockey? I think just the opposite....Giving an autobid to a feeble conf does nothing to better the game.

How could this not be good for the growth of the game?

All 8 of these schools are practically on a level playing field for when it comes to building a program up for a chance to play in the NCAA's. Now will some programs put more money into it than others, probably. I'm looking at Endicott mainly. I could see their program taking off FAST.

It gives us a new conference with new teams having the chance to get to the big dance and prove themselves against a pretty stale group of elite teams that are there year in and year out.

Look at what Norwich has done in such a short time. Part of that success can be attributed to the chance to come in and play right away and get to the NCAA tournament which they did in just their second season. Made the finals in the third and won it all in fourth.

I could see that same type of growth from an Endicott or even a Stevenson now that they have a league that they can compete for a title in.

 

[CrossCheck]

Re: ECAC North Atlantic League forms

How could this not be good for the growth of the game?

All 8 of these schools are practically on a level playing field for when it comes to building a program up for a chance to play in the NCAA's. Now will some programs put more money into it than others, probably. I'm looking at Endicott mainly. I could see their program taking off FAST.

It gives us a new conference with new teams having the chance to get to the big dance and prove themselves against a pretty stale group of elite teams that are there year in and year out.

Look at what Norwich has done in such a short time. Part of that success can be attributed to the chance to come in and play right away and get to the NCAA tournament which they did in just their second season. Made the finals in the third and won it all in fourth.

I could see that same type of growth from an Endicott or even a Stevenson now that they have a league that they can compete for a title in.

Sorry, I see it as a real gimmick. I'd rather see the best teams rewarded...IMO that means more 'at large' bids where strength of schedule means something. For example last year when Midd was the best team in nescac all year, was very highly ranked but lost in the conf. tournament...and didn't get a NCAA bid. Now, I'm no fan of Midd, but honestly, they should have been there....and now a team like Stevenson get's that spot? Sorry, that's just plain wrong.

 

[Cali]

I agree, but two years seems a bit quick. Four not so bad.

This has no direct relevance at all but when the NHL expanded from 6 to 12 teams in 1968, the new teams were placed in their own division and the winner of that division was given a spot in the Stanley Cup finals.

The question of the autobid here is referring to one spot out of 8. In the example above it was one spot out of two. And this setup lasted for three years.

 

[ExHockeyguy]

Re: ECAC North Atlantic League forms

This has no direct relevance at all but when the NHL expanded from 6 to 12 teams in 1968, the new teams were placed in their own division and the winner of that division was given a spot in the Stanley Cup finals.

The question of the autobid here is referring to one spot out of 8. In the example above it was one spot out of two. And this setup lasted for three years.

You make a good point here. To me it is relevant. People complained "way back then" about the league being watered down. Moot point. This announcement by the ECAC should be looked at as nothing but a positive for women's hockey. D3 is rapidly expanding and another league only adds to the overall quality (and lifespan) of individual programs. Maybe after two years they get a couple of "borderline" entries into the NCAA. But who cares? In four years this is a non-issue. Some of these programs could surprise in the early years.

 

[shelfit]

Re: ECAC North Atlantic League forms

I bet there are going to be several very envious ECAC East & West teams that will wish they were in this new conference. This also might have an impact on how many WIAC teams will get considered for an at-large bid to the big dance.

 

[PrezdeJohnson09]

I bet there are going to be several very envious ECAC East & West teams that will wish they were in this new conference. This also might have an impact on how many WIAC teams will get considered for an at-large bid to the big dance.

I'm sure the ECAC east would be more than willing to let a few teams go from their current 14-team predicament. As long as they keep 7 D-III schools so they can keep the autobid they'd be happy.