NEWHL Merges into multisport SUNYAC for 2023-24

[Scott_TG]

The NEWHL, which had the same commissioner and offices as the SUNYAC, has officially been merged in as the SUNYAC announces that they will be sponsoring women's hockey in 2023-24.

This move coincides with the admission of Canton as an associate member for men's hockey. Morrisville is already admitted as an associate for men's hockey so it appears Canton was the last hurdle.

Plattsburgh is the only program to win the NEWHL championship, which was awarded from 2018 - 2023 with the exception of the canceled 2021 championship season.

Plattsburgh will seek to become the first SUNYAC Women's Hockey champions, with Cortland, who many expect to be led by highly touted incoming freshman Drew Kopek bolstering a surging roster of talented returning players, as the most serious contender to break the Cardinals' conference championship streak dating back to 2013. Oswego is also a realistic contender for the first SUNYAC Women's Hockey trophy.

RIT was the last team to come away with a conference championship in a conference Plattsburgh WIH competed in when they won the 2012 ECAC West conference championship en route to the 2012 national championship in their last season before jumping to D1

https://www.sunyacsports.com/general/2022-23/releases/20230512fqsr88

 

[Russell Jaslow]

The NEWHL, which had the same commissioner and offices as the SUNYAC, has officially been merged in as the SUNYAC announces that they will be sponsoring women's hockey in 2023-24.

This move coincides with the admission of Canton as an associate member for men's hockey. Morrisville is already admitted as an associate for men's hockey so it appears Canton was the last hurdle.

Plattsburgh is the only program to win the NEWHL championship, which was awarded from 2018 - 2023 with the exception of the canceled 2021 championship season.

Plattsburgh will seek to become the first SUNYAC Women's Hockey champions, with Cortland, who many expect to be led by highly touted incoming freshman Drew Kopek bolstering a surging roster of talented returning players, as the most serious contender to break the Cardinals' conference championship streak dating back to 2013. Oswego is also a realistic contender for the first SUNYAC Women's Hockey trophy.

RIT was the last team to come away with a conference championship in a conference Plattsburgh WIH competed in when they won the 2012 ECAC West conference championship en route to the 2012 national championship in their last season before jumping to D1

https://www.sunyacsports.com/general/2022-23/releases/20230512fqsr88

Of course, by default, Canton and Morrisville women's hockey programs will also become associate members.

What makes this interesting, from a political standpoint, is after Morrisville men's hockey and field hockey teams became associated members when Morrisville pulled out of the SUNYAC as a regular member, there were many in the conference who did not like that arrangement. Some didn't want any associate members (which was odd, considering some SUNYAC sports teams, like football, wrestling and men's volleyball, had to rely on other conferences letting them in as associate members). Thus, the reason why it took so long for this move to be made, no matter how logical it was.

I'm very glad it was made. The NEWHL was ridiculous from any outside perspective when it was a SUNYAC conference in all but name. And leaving Canton men out there seemingly as a bastard child was just as ridiculous.