NCAA Hockey - 2023/24 **Insert Witty Tagline**

[Spartanforlife4]

> the mini-four team Big Ten within the WCHA

Today I learned. Were they a division?, like the Ivies within the Olde Greater ECAC?

There doesn't seem to be much information out there that I've found besides media guides. If it wasn't for Wikipedia I'd have no idea. Despite OSU having a team, they weren't included in it as they played in the CCHA, though there were three years where a single two game series against them by one of the four main schools did count in the standings. Other than that it was just the WCHA conference games that counted towards the championship. There was also a Big Ten holiday tournament for three years in the late 60s, but that died out for whatever reason.

Michigan State redid their banners in Munn a few year years ago and had a banner for Big Ten championships pre-1981. That's the first "official" recognition of the mini-conference that I've seen outside of the media guide. But this season they took that one down and put up new ones for last year's regular season and tournament titles.

I found this blog post that goes into a little more detail. It looks like Minnesota (at least 12 years ago) also recognized that era with a banner.

The History of Big Ten Hockey (1922-Present) | mgoblog

Or the Third Era of the Big Ten Hockey Title As we all know by now, the debut season of the Big Ten Hockey Conference is just days away much to the excitement of some and chagrin of many others. Many people raving on message boards have asserted that the whole thing is just a money grab and that...

mgoblog.com

 

[state of hockey]

That banner is still there. Dusty as hell.

 

[Scarlet]

Random question - what happens to all the players who enter the portal that don’t get a new team? Do they go back to their original team?

 

[Spartanforlife4]

Random question - what happens to all the players who enter the portal that don’t get a new team? Do they go back to their original team?

I can't remember if it's dependent on the conference or now an NCAA-wide rule, but I believe once a player enters the portal they're still entitled to their academic scholarship, but they're no longer entitled to their spot on the team. Since most guys aren't there to play school, a lot just leave and some don't find a home. There's a sadly high percentage in the basketball portal that don't find any new team.