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LEC (Little East Conference) - Keene State - Conference Realignment 2025-26

Tom Coughlin said:
That's good to know.

I'm not anti-AQ, but I don't think a [SUP]conference formed by 5 state schools sick of getting beat up on every year plus a regionally convenient doormat[/SUP] 6 team conference is deserving of an AQ.
Click to expand...

I hear you. And that's one of the problems lowering the minimum to six. It's easier to create these (so-called) conferences...
 
Fishman'81 said:
How's about this: no AQ's.

Choosing the field on the basis of straight PW would obviate all this chaos.
Click to expand...

Listen you dolt, the AQ system is what has promoted the growth of programs in all sports at the D3 level and is why it isn't the same programs qualifying for the NCAA Tournament anymore year after year. Everybody has a shot.
 
I love it how nubs went from everyone's pain in the ass to being absolutely radio silent unless fish says something talk about the ultimate hater
 
Lord_Zubin said:
I love it how nubs went from everyone's pain in the *** to being absolutely radio silent unless fish says something talk about the ultimate hater
Click to expand...

I only hate stupid, nonsensical statements. Most of the time on this board it is only one source.

In this case many programs, Utica included, would not have a chance to blossom so quickly without the AQ and the carrot of playing for a national title. To assert otherwise is complete poppycock.
 
Russell Jaslow said:
The members don't want that. The schools voted for this system. It's their minds you need to change.
Click to expand...

The members were against employing an objective metric to select the field, too, until a couple of years back...

The D-3 process has been idiotic for many years, but progress has (amazingly) been made recently.

Call me a dreamer, but maybe, one fine day, D-3 hockey will take it a step further, and forget about the fluid conferences' AQ's, and just have a self-selection process, without all this conference hopscotch.

Doubt I'll see it anytime soon, though, if ever.
 
Fishman'81 said:
The members were against employing an objective metric to select the field, too, until a couple of years back...

The D-3 process has been idiotic for many years, but progress has (amazingly) been made recently.

Call me a dreamer, but maybe, one fine day, D-3 hockey will take it a step further, and forget about the fluid conferences' AQ's, and just have a self-selection process, without all this conference hopscotch.

Doubt I'll see it anytime soon, though, if ever.
Click to expand...

I see the river of Old Granddad is flowing right on time again.
 
Tom Coughlin said:
What's stopping LEC North and LEC South from existing as two separate conferences for AQ purposes?
Click to expand...

Interesting to think that at one point there were three ECAC autobids - ECAC West, ECAC East, and ECAC Northeast. Though the ECAC has always been a weird, different type of construct.
 
Fishman'81 said:
The D-3 process has been idiotic for many years, but progress has (amazingly) been made recently.
Click to expand...

When the process was a bit more chaotic .... these are the top 21 complaints and consensus replies that were voiced over a number of seasons.

1) My "more-deserving" team was screwed because we play in the toughest conference
Live with it or join the NE or MCHA
2) The defacto NCAA 1st round is actually the individual conference tournaments
If your team can't win theirs, they don't belong in the dance
3) The play-in round games actually count as an NCAA playoff game
Just because your team is unlucky enough to have to participate doesn't mean it wasn't part of the tourney (even if the T-shirts have omitted those teams in the past)
4) Pool bids will be awarded based on flawed criteria
Suck it up, and live with them
5) Money and a geographic bias toward wherever the tournament is being held will determine seeding, not team performance
Live with it
6) The final four will be out West every three years
Save for it
7) The NE auto-bid is still a joke
Live with it edit: The jury is still out
8) Whoever draws the NE team will "have a cake-walk"
Envy it or edit:"Talk to Geneseo about '06"
9) The officiating will be atrocious and "cost us the game"
Live with it or strap 'em on and become an official
10) If [fill in the blank] hadn't lost their league championship game, my team would've gotten a bid
Just freakin' win your conference tourney
11) St Louis, O'Doyle, Tisi, O'Brien, Petrus, Baldwin, Wisnowski, Ellis and the Panek twins are the absolute worst referees ever
They'll retire someday
12) D3 should have a 16 team tourney like D1
Follow RIT, Canisius, Mercyhurst to D1
13) Eastern bias!!
Come on over
14) SNC stands for 'reliShing inNaugural Championship'
Don't recall what the former saying was.
15) Manhattanville players are a bunch of thugs
Just beat 'em
16) The NCAA and USCHO polls contradict!
The USCHO poll should have a disclaimer. edit: "These data are purely subjective, and are not indicative of past, present or future reality, and have absolutely no bearing on the NCAA poll nor are they arbitrary enough to meet the needs of the NCAA Championship Selection Committee."
17) "Congradulations" on Middlebury's '04 banner was intentionally spelled that way
Give it a rest, would ya?
18) To break selection and/or seeding deadlocks, the NCAA will utilize the little known "team with the fan base most willing to travel" criterion
I'd suggest following your team a bit more ardently
19 [Nameless Team] had a higher seed, and should have been able to host an NCAA game, even though they didn't apply to host
Just submit the freakin' paperwork
20) It's not fair that [insert team] had to drive nearly 500 miles for a play-in game
Play better during the regular season
21) [Fill in the Blank] was 26-3, and still didn't get a bid
a) Join a conference with an autobid
b) Play tougher non-league games
c) Pay off the selection committee to include teams you've beaten in the rankings
d) Quit the whining
 
elbojpb said:
When the process was a bit more chaotic .... these are the top 21 complaints and consensus replies that were voiced over a number of seasons.

1) My "more-deserving" team was screwed because we play in the toughest conference
Live with it or join the NE or MCHA
2) The defacto NCAA 1st round is actually the individual conference tournaments
If your team can't win theirs, they don't belong in the dance
3) The play-in round games actually count as an NCAA playoff game
Just because your team is unlucky enough to have to participate doesn't mean it wasn't part of the tourney (even if the T-shirts have omitted those teams in the past)
4) Pool bids will be awarded based on flawed criteria
Suck it up, and live with them
5) Money and a geographic bias toward wherever the tournament is being held will determine seeding, not team performance
Live with it
6) The final four will be out West every three years
Save for it
7) The NE auto-bid is still a joke
Live with it edit: The jury is still out
8) Whoever draws the NE team will "have a cake-walk"
Envy it or edit:"Talk to Geneseo about '06"
9) The officiating will be atrocious and "cost us the game"
Live with it or strap 'em on and become an official
10) If [fill in the blank] hadn't lost their league championship game, my team would've gotten a bid
Just freakin' win your conference tourney
11) St Louis, O'Doyle, Tisi, O'Brien, Petrus, Baldwin, Wisnowski, Ellis and the Panek twins are the absolute worst referees ever
They'll retire someday
12) D3 should have a 16 team tourney like D1
Follow RIT, Canisius, Mercyhurst to D1
13) Eastern bias!!
Come on over
14) SNC stands for 'reliShing inNaugural Championship'
Don't recall what the former saying was.
15) Manhattanville players are a bunch of thugs
Just beat 'em
16) The NCAA and USCHO polls contradict!
The USCHO poll should have a disclaimer. edit: "These data are purely subjective, and are not indicative of past, present or future reality, and have absolutely no bearing on the NCAA poll nor are they arbitrary enough to meet the needs of the NCAA Championship Selection Committee."
17) "Congradulations" on Middlebury's '04 banner was intentionally spelled that way
Give it a rest, would ya?
18) To break selection and/or seeding deadlocks, the NCAA will utilize the little known "team with the fan base most willing to travel" criterion
I'd suggest following your team a bit more ardently
19 [Nameless Team] had a higher seed, and should have been able to host an NCAA game, even though they didn't apply to host
Just submit the freakin' paperwork
20) It's not fair that [insert team] had to drive nearly 500 miles for a play-in game
Play better during the regular season
21) [Fill in the Blank] was 26-3, and still didn't get a bid
a) Join a conference with an autobid
b) Play tougher non-league games
c) Pay off the selection committee to include teams you've beaten in the rankings
d) Quit the whining
Click to expand...

This was a great read and a step back in time….
 
Fishman'81 said:
The members were against employing an objective metric to select the field, too, until a couple of years back...
Click to expand...

Good point.

The D-3 process has been idiotic for many years, but progress has (amazingly) been made recently.

Call me a dreamer, but maybe, one fine day, D-3 hockey will take it a step further, and forget about the fluid conferences' AQ's, and just have a self-selection process, without all this conference hopscotch.

Doubt I'll see it anytime soon, though, if ever.
Click to expand...

But don't ever expect this. The members like the idea that they can "steal" a spot in the tournament. Voting against this favors very few schools. So, no incentive in a democratic vote to go against it. Heck, conferences don't even choose their regular season champion as the AQ (which they are allowed to do), so that should tell you everything you need to know about the chances of this changing.
 
***JCB*** said:
Plymouth with a great result for the future of the Little East tonight. Norwich has their work cut out for them.
Click to expand...

Plymouth is one school that has benefitted from the AQ. A small college in a weak conference could only build its program with an AQ. There is no draft and no salary cap to level the playing field as there is in the NHL. Having an AQ gives players some incentive to look at more schools than those currently at "the top."
 
Lord_Zubin said:
Nortland College needs 12 million dollars in 3 weeks otherwise the school plans on closing. https://www.northland.edu/fundraising-appeal/ If that happens the WIAC is down to 5 teams which is not enough for an auto bid. Do we see another at large bid appear ???
Click to expand...

I wonder if any of the other UW schools would consider starting a hockey program. There really aren't any great geographic fits given the relatively small footprint of the current WIAC, but I could see an Oshkosh or Whitewater starting a program.

As far as existing programs, Scholastica would make a good fit with its proximity to Superior. Plus they don't have a long term link to the MIAC.

As much as I miss playing the UW schools, I would hate to see SNC make the jump.
 
By my count theres 5 Wisconsin schools in the NCHA I can imagine at least one of them would want to switch to an easier conference and get rid of road trips to Michigan and Indiana. Plus u go from 18 conference games to 15 which gives you more room for some west teams or heck even a tournament out east
 
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