Northwestern in early stages of exploring D1 hockey

[slowe]

According to Mike Eaves they have formed an exploratory committee to investigate the feasibility of ice hockey.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/274926991.html?ipad=y



Eaves went on to say that he believes the Big Ten will expand from its current base of six teams sometime within the next five to 10 years.

“I know that Indiana and Illinois have great club (programs),” Eaves said. “Northwestern has had a group get together looking at the (possibility), which makes a lot of sense because Chicago has great hockey.”

According to Eaves, former UW defenseman Chris Chelios is involved in the group studying the feasibility of adding men’s hockey at Northwestern.

“They need to take a look at doing something like that,” Eaves said. “That is me speaking, maybe out of line.
“Maybe that is just the hope that I have, that within five to 10 years the Big Ten will grow.”

 

[UncleRay]

Re: Northwestern in early stages of exploring D1 hockey

I think they're required to come out with the college hockey video game before they can field a DI team.

 

[purpleinnebraska]

Re: Northwestern in early stages of exploring D1 hockey

There's a lot of crazy, pie-in-the-sky talk of new D1 programs, but this one has always seemed to make the most sense, especially now that there's Bi6 hockey. A well-healed university in a large city with a hockey tradition, in a state that produces a large number of D1 players (all the states that produce more players have multiple D1 programs). Still, I think the Bi6 will want an even number of teams, and I don't see anyone else realistically close to adding hockey.

 

[Split-N]

Re: Northwestern in early stages of exploring D1 hockey

There's a lot of crazy, pie-in-the-sky talk of new D1 programs, but this one has always seemed to make the most sense, especially now that there's Bi6 hockey. A well-healed university in a large city with a hockey tradition, in a state that produces a large number of D1 players (all the states that produce more players have multiple D1 programs). Still, I think the Bi6 will want an even number of teams, and I don't see anyone else realistically close to adding hockey.

Logically, it would make sense for Illinois to come in along with Northwestern for all the reasons stated plus whatever value-added attaches to the natural in-state rivalry. Illinois is one of those club programs that has the look and feel of a varsity, including a following, and would be in a good position to make the jump if a Terry Pegula showed up with a dump truck full of cash. But logic doesn't apply in an era when the football monster the Power-5 conferences has created is devouring other sports in order to feed its seemingly insatiable appetite for $$$$. So don't hold your breath.

 

[Red Cows]

Re: Northwestern in early stages of exploring D1 hockey

Still, I think the Bi6 will want an even number of teams, and I don't see anyone else realistically close to adding hockey.

Despite the fact that a certain University in Lincoln, NE just built a brand new arena with ice making capability and is now beginning construction of the, "ahem", practice facility right next to it:

http://journalstar.com/news/local/e...cle_1e723ada-f8bb-5211-88ce-551a39a19957.html

........despite all the "hockey isn't in our future" protestations from their clueless AD, who doesn't seem to yet understand that he has, and will have, very little to say about this.

There have been public quotes here from NU Foundation officials that this facility is going to cost more than double the 11 million dollars the article above says it supposedly will, by the way.

That said, I will also repeat what I have posted elsewhere in this forum on the topic of additions to the Big 10 Hockey Conference. Title 9 is a big, and I mean BIG consideration for any school here looking at this path. The University of Nebraska is already a school that has by-the-gender scholarship numbers issues they would have to address.