Mike Leone

[MN Cyclone]

Whats the deal with Mike Leone?

Starts season at Utica centering first line, transfers over break to Adrian continue to play well and now ACHA Nation Champion Lindenwood is claiming he will be playing there this year.

Whats the deal with the trasfers? And is he really going from NCAA DIII favorite to ACHA favorite?

 

[Pioneers#1]

Re: Mike Leone

Head Coach of Utica College,Gary Heenen said he was one of the best UC has seen in a while and i heard this guy was the real deal too.I heard it was a mix of Money and family issues why he left Utica in the first place.I don't know what happend with him after he left Utica.

 

[bayliner2555]

Re: Mike Leone

Being 1 1/2 hours from home at Adrian instead of 8 hours from home at Utica could have something to do with his choice. Also, the opportunity to play on a national championship contending team could be very appealing.

 

[ballgame]

Re: Mike Leone

Lindenwood is no joke. They are good with a strong history.

 

[hockey247]

Re: Mike Leone

Leone is very talented. I am not sure why he left Utica, since they had a legit chance to get into the tournament last year. I know you mentioned it before that distance and family issues could have been the case; to go to Adrian, back in his home state.

Remember that Leone did live in St. Louis (playing for the Bandits NAHL), where Lindenwood is. Who knows if he just liked the city/ area. Utica and Adrian don't have a lot of anything in the cities. Where St. Louis has a ton. Lindenwood also has a handful of good players who are border line D1 guys who could easily be playing D3. Who knows the kid might have a girlfriend in St. Louis.

Finally, I have heard that since Lindenwood is not an NCAA school (being NINA or something like that) they give athletic scholarships. He might be going from paying anywhere from $20-30 grand a year to nothing or under $10 grad. It makes a huge difference; especially since the kid is from Michigan and we all know that economy is struggling.

 

[NorthernLite]

Re: Mike Leone

Personal issues more often than not drive players' decisions to make changes and I'm sure Mike is is no exception.

It was all too brief a stop at Adrian...he was fun to watch.
Hopefully things will work out for him at his new school and with his new team.

 

[CARDS_rule_the_Burgh]

Re: Mike Leone

Finally, I have heard that since Lindenwood is not an NCAA school (being NINA or something like that) they give athletic scholarships.

NAIA doesn't conduct ice hockey anymore, so lindenwood's hockey team could only be ACHA. And, as far as I know, ACHA teams (being club teams) cannot offer scholarships. Yes, some schools like Lindenwood and SUNY Canton, who used to be NAIA, still treat their ACHA teams like a varsity squad, but my understanding was that they still can't offer scholarships.

Please, correct me if I'm wrong.

As an aside, I was looking at Lindenwood's athletic page, and they sponsor 20 NAIA sports (11 men, 9 women) and 17 non-NAIA sports (inluding Roller Hockey!). With a total of 37 sports, that's a lot of student-athletes. Can't be many non-athletes on campus.
EDIT: I checked Lindenwood's enrollment, and they enroll more than 14,000 students. And They have 44 "Varsity" teams, not 37.

 

[norm1909]

Re: Mike Leone

NAIA doesn't conduct ice hockey anymore, so lindenwood's hockey team could only be ACHA. And, as far as I know, ACHA teams (being club teams) cannot offer scholarships. Yes, some schools like Lindenwood and SUNY Canton, who used to be NAIA, still treat their ACHA teams like a varsity squad, but my understanding was that they still can't offer scholarships.

Please, correct me if I'm wrong.

As an aside, I was looking at Lindenwood's athletic page, and they sponsor 20 NAIA sports (11 men, 9 women) and 17 non-NAIA sports (inluding Roller Hockey!). With a total of 37 sports, that's a lot of student-athletes. Can't be many non-athletes on campus.
EDIT: I checked Lindenwood's enrollment, and they enroll more than 14,000 students. And They have 44 "Varsity" teams, not 37.

According to this Peterson's site, as you noted, they do NOT offer ice hockey scholarships. Though they do in field hockey, which might cause some confusion.

Note also on their student body:

Undergraduate Student Population
6,343 undergraduate students, 56% women, 44% men, 8% transferred in, 11% African American, 0.7% Asian American or Pacific Islander, 2% Hispanic American, 0.3% Native American

also

Costs (2008-09)
Comprehensive Costs: $19,500 includes full-time tuition ($12,700), mandatory fees ($300), and room and board ($6500). Full-time tuition and fees vary according to program. Part-time tuition: $360 per credit hour. Part-time tuition and fees vary according to course load
Room and board: College room only: $3400
Payment plans: Installment, deferred payment
Waivers: Senior citizens

 

[CARDS_rule_the_Burgh]

Re: Mike Leone

Note also on their student body:

I guess I should have been more specific. The 14,500 was both grads and undergrads. First year grad students who haven't used all 4 years of athletic eligibility, and aren't beyond the 5-year time limit COULD theoretically play, am I correct?

 

[norm1909]

Re: Mike Leone

I guess I should have been more specific. The 14,500 was both grads and undergrads. First year grad students who haven't used all 4 years of athletic eligibility, and aren't beyond the 5-year time limit COULD theoretically play, am I correct?

Yes, they (grad students) could have eligibility left.

Note:

We offer more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to approximately 14,500 students through values-centered programs

 

[cooperalls]

Re: Mike Leone

Apparently this may shed some light. Also be aware that this artcile originally went to print with the word scholarship in place of the grant and 48 hours later the word grant was added in for scholarship.

http://www.squamishchief.com/articl...SH/hockey-scholarship-leads-to-national-title


ACHA teams are not allowed to give athletic scholarships but something stinks if this kid is transferring from an NCAA school to an ACHA/NAIA school!

NAIA doesn't conduct ice hockey anymore, so lindenwood's hockey team could only be ACHA. And, as far as I know, ACHA teams (being club teams) cannot offer scholarships. Yes, some schools like Lindenwood and SUNY Canton, who used to be NAIA, still treat their ACHA teams like a varsity squad, but my understanding was that they still can't offer scholarships.

Please, correct me if I'm wrong.

As an aside, I was looking at Lindenwood's athletic page, and they sponsor 20 NAIA sports (11 men, 9 women) and 17 non-NAIA sports (inluding Roller Hockey!). With a total of 37 sports, that's a lot of student-athletes. Can't be many non-athletes on campus.
EDIT: I checked Lindenwood's enrollment, and they enroll more than 14,000 students. And They have 44 "Varsity" teams, not 37.

 

[norm1909]

Re: Mike Leone

Apparently this may shed some light. Also be aware that this artcile originally went to print with the word scholarship in place of the grant and 48 hours later the word grant was added in for scholarship.

http://www.squamishchief.com/articl...SH/hockey-scholarship-leads-to-national-title


ACHA teams are not allowed to give athletic scholarships but something stinks if this kid is transferring from an NCAA school to an ACHA/NAIA school!

Note, from the: American Collegiate Hockey Association 2008-2009 Manual

Section 7 Financial Aid
A. Student-athletes may receive only financial aid which has been properly channeled through the college/university financial aid office or other college/university office. Financial aid shall be awarded on a need basis only as determined by the United States Department of Education Standards for Financial Assistance Program formula as applied to each institution.

B. Additionally, student athletes may not receive financial aid or monetary
disbursement of any kind from the ACHA program he/she represents nor from any booster club or sponsor affiliated with the ACHA hockey program.

C. Failure to adhere to the financial aid policy will result in immediate suspension of membership benefits in the ACHA for a one year period. The Board of Directors
will review and act upon requests for reinstatement.

 

[ballgame]

Re: Mike Leone

lindenwood is interesting because you do not pay to play as a first year player there. Maybe that has something to do with it. They have a history of one and done players

 

[norm1909]

Re: Mike Leone

The following might offer some enticement over NCAA DIII (quotes are from this).

2009-2010 Welcome Letter

Dear ACHA Team,

Due to the continuing and long lasting success of the partnership between the ACHA and USA Hockey since 2000, all ACHA member teams will register with USA Hockey for the upcoming season. USA Hockey is very excited about the continuation of this relationship and would like to tell you about the registration process and the benefits of being a registered member of USA Hockey.

USA HOCKEY MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
As a team:

USA Hockey will again assist the ACHA with all of its’ National Tournaments (Men's Division 1, 2, and 3 and Women’s Division 1 and 2).

Coaches and players are registered with USA Hockey with each team registration.

Comprehensive training and certification programs for coaches and officials are available.

Potential opportunity to represent USA Hockey in the World University Games.

Coverage several times per year of ACHA Nationals and story features in USA Hockey Magazine, which reaches a half million hockey players.

Coverage of the ACHA on the USA Hockey web site.

Support with ACHA annual awards, dinners, and promotional brochures.

As an individual:

Membership to an organization that is the National Governing Body (NGB) and governs the sport of hockey in the United States and serves as the official representative of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).

Membership to an organization that coordinates activities with other national hockey federations around the world and, closer to home, works with the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for matters of mutual interest.

Excess accident, catastrophic and liability insurance coverage to all members while participating in a USA Hockey sanctioned activity or event.

Special USA Hockey discounts and services through USA Hockey Marketing Partners.

Access to custom merchandise, apparel and gifts through USA Hockey’s Merchandise Program.

Annual subscription to American Hockey Magazine, the world’s largest hockey publication.

 

[Truenorth]

Re: Mike Leone

....ACHA teams are not allowed to give athletic scholarships but something stinks if this kid is transferring from an NCAA school to an ACHA/NAIA school!

I’ve never seen ACHA games so no idea what it’s like. Do games measure-up in caliber to top D-3 ?

 

[joecct]

Re: Mike Leone

I’ve never seen ACHA games so no idea what it’s like. Do games measure-up in caliber to top D-3 ?

No. Top ACHA would be .500 or so in ECAC-E and comfortably above .500 in the ECAC-NE.

Last year Penn State lost to Salem St. 2-1 and beat Salve Regina 8-0. The previous year, Rhode Island went up to Norwich for the Times-Argus and did not do so good.

 

[Truenorth]

Re: Mike Leone

No. Top ACHA would be .500 or so in ECAC-E and comfortably above .500 in the ECAC-NE.

Last year Penn State lost to Salem St. 2-1 and beat Salve Regina 8-0. The previous year, Rhode Island went up to Norwich for the Times-Argus and did not do so good.

Kind a figured !
Thanks joecct

 

[norm1909]

Re: Mike Leone

I’ve never seen ACHA games so no idea what it’s like. Do games measure-up in caliber to top D-3 ?

Penn State (ACHA) played in last year's Salem State Classic, where Salem State edged Penn State 2-1, stats here.

USCHO Salem State Classic thread here, contains many thoughts on the subject.

Fyi - Penn State ended the 2008-09 season in second place in the ACHA Division I (after Lindenwood).

 

[Truenorth]

Re: Mike Leone

I was just curious because in a recent conversation with a graduate from Lindenwood’s men hockey program, although this guy had enjoyed his experience there, he also mentioned he would’ve preferred playing for a top D-3 club if ever he had the chance…. so kind'a confirms what you guys are saying.

 

[ADRdogs]

Re: Mike Leone

I wonder if mostly playing on the third line of a four line rotation had anything to do with the change.