LIU adds Men's D-1 Hockey

[Ralph Baer]

Well that sure would be a twist

I had not realized when i posted that, that there is a thread in the Cafe https://fanforum.uscho.com/forum/community/uscho-cafe/3594460-stability-of-universities-after-covid which mentions all of the D-I schools which are included.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

LIU is on a list of NY schools which may go out of business. https://www.syracuse.com/coronavirus...ysis-says.html. SLU is also on that list.

They may not make any money, but they won't disappear. The government bails out anyone and anything with a pulse. Unless you're a college that operates from one room in a strip mall, I don't think you have anything to fear from a continued existence stand point. Will your programs get cut to the bone? Could you lose varsity sports and the chess club? Yes, that is likely. Will your campus fold up and get sold off to become apartment buildings... I doubt it. Remember, we're on the verge of free college for everyone. All those kids need campus to be on for their free education.

 

[HofstraHockey]

Add Garrett Metcalf from Mercyhurst to the goalie tandem for this year. Best known for sitting in the box to serve his misconduct last year, he’ll be on his third school. I have to imagine it’s a grad transfer, since he’s already put in three years of play with a transfer year.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Add Garrett Metcalf from Mercyhurst to the goalie tandem for this year... I have to imagine it’s a grad transfer, since he’s already put in three years of play with a transfer year.

Yes, he is. Michigan Tech was considering him but the Huskies grabbed a transfer goalie from UAH instead.

 

[HofstraHockey]

Bunch of stuff going on - LIU was added as a scheduling partner with Atlantic Hockey, playing each team 2x during the season. https://www.liuathletics.com/news/20...g-partner.aspx

West Point has them on the schedule three times, including what I presume will be LIU's first game https://goarmywestpoint.com/sports/m...hedule/2020-21

They also have rounded out the coaching staff- lot of young guys, but with some decent experience. Wasn't expecting much given what the pay was going to be and how late in the game it is, but at least it's guys with DI experience.

 

[Split-N]

Question for HofstraHockey: Do you think there's even a snowball's chance that Hofstra will ever upgrade to D1? That would make for an instant intra-Island rivalry plus build on the hoops rivalry Hofstra already has with Northeastern.

 

[HofstraHockey]

Question for HofstraHockey: Do you think there's even a snowball's chance that Hofstra will ever upgrade to D1? That would make for an instant intra-Island rivalry plus build on the hoops rivalry Hofstra already has with Northeastern.

The reason I won't say "absolutely not" is because the university will have a new president starting in September '21. Based on the direction the school has gone in over the last few years, I'd say no, but I'm not sure what direction they want to move in going forward. They've showed reductions in athletics in that time (see ya, football), but increases as well (new basketball practice facility, high end videoboards for the basketball arena, lots of bumps for the lacrosse program) and kept some things going that they could have gotten rid of without the obvious public backlash (like the indoor bubble that belonged to the Jets, cut some sports like golf and tennis in during the Covid time). So I really have no clue.

Unlike LIU, which went with it from the ground up, Hofstra I'm sure will be looking for a benefactor before they move forward, or some backing from the Islanders, along with LIU moving somewhere else to play. I wish Jon Cooper would come back home and offer some support.

I've seen plans from 20+ years ago that had an ice plant as part of the Hofstra Arena, but that obviously never happened. LIU is in the only viable facility in near reach.

Believe me, I wish, I wish, I wish. And I'd throw myself at the project, having plenty of experience both on the team side and in the ice rink industry. So 12 months from now (or whenever they make the announcement), we'll see.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Bunch of stuff going on - LIU was added as a scheduling partner with Atlantic Hockey, playing each team 2x during the season.

Now with 20+ D-I games on the schedule, that's a big win for the Sharks as a first year team with what's going on in the country. I'm not sure they could have hoped for better this year. It's also a huge audition for them if they have visions of trying to join AH down the road, which would seem to be a natural landing spot for them (maybe paired with UAH???)

 

[HofstraHockey]

Schedule as of 10/24:

@ Army Nov 14
vs Mercyhurst Nov 21-22
@ HC Jan 8
vs HC Jan 9
vs Niagra Jan 15-16
@ AF Jan 22-23
@ Canisius Jan 29-30
@ RMU Feb 5-6
vs AF Feb 19-20
@ Army Feb 26-27

AIC, Bentley, RIT, and Sacred Heart not yet posted.

Heading to Colorado, Buffalo, and Pittsburgh three weeks in a row will be rough.