Penn State Womens Hockey

[ARM]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

Why would a coach with D1 experience make a better coach than a coach with D3 experience?

It isn't a huge deal, unless none of your coaches have D-I coaching experience. Kearns coached D-III. Brandwene doesn't have D-I recruiting experience. To a certain extent, recruiting skills translate, but if I were putting together a staff, I'd want someone on it that had dealt with managing scholarships before and figuring out how best to allocate them. I'm sure they can get input from other programs in the athletic department, but comparing hockey with basketball or volleyball is going to be apples and oranges.

 

[D2D]

Why would a coach with D1 experience make a better coach than a coach with D3 experience? If no one hires coaches to go to the next level, then no coaches will ever move up the ranks. Penn State obviously thinks she fits their need the best, otherwise they wouldn't have hired her.

Not saying it's the case here, but sometimes what is being offered in the way of salary can be a factor.

 

[giwan]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

It isn't a huge deal, unless none of your coaches have D-I coaching experience. Kearns coached D-III. Brandwene doesn't have D-I recruiting experience. To a certain extent, recruiting skills translate, but if I were putting together a staff, I'd want someone on it that had dealt with managing scholarships before and figuring out how best to allocate them. I'm sure they can get input from other programs in the athletic department, but comparing hockey with basketball or volleyball is going to be apples and oranges.

If only D-I coaches were hired then you would never have movement and no one could become a D-I coach. D-III or any "lower level" coach can easily be better then a D-I coach. They have less to work with usually meaning you have to be more innovative to succeed.

Not sure why you feel b or V ball is such an apple vs orange comparison to hockey in regard to a scholly. Can you add to that?

 

[ARM]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

If only D-I coaches were hired then you would never have movement and no one could become a D-I coach.

Sure, but if a staff has three paid positions, ideally at least one should have D-I experience. It's good for coaches to grow, just as players do, but it is also nice to have someone from whom to learn. In speaking to the Lindenwood coach, he felt that one of the elements of the learning curve that the Lions had to deal with was D-I wasn't only new for the players, it was also new for the staff. In any job, there is some value to experience. The more closely the previous job experience matches the new position, the greater the value.

Not sure why you feel b or V ball is such an apple vs orange comparison to hockey in regard to a scholly. Can you add to that?

Hockey staffs have differing philosophies as to how to use their 18 rides, such as how many scholarships are spent on goaltenders. The same kind of balancing act exists in softball I'm sure, and pitchers have similar importance as goalies, but the positions on the roster don't translate exactly. It's valuable to know what is commonly done on competing staffs. This all becomes a learn as you go process, while if the staff included an experienced D-I recruiter, they'd enter with more first-hand experience of what worked and potential pitfalls.

If the plan at Penn State is not to seriously compete during the time these recruiting classes are playing, then it is less important. Otherwise, it adds another hurdle in the short term.

 

[OneTimer]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

Sure, but if a staff has three paid positions,

Only two full time paid coaches are allowed for an NCAA hockey team.

 

[ARM]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

Only two full time paid coaches are allowed for an NCAA hockey team.

Most staffs have a head coach and two assistants, all paid. Then they may add volunteers such as a goaltending coach or recent alums as volunteer assistants. BC is one of the few staffs that comes to mind on the women's side that has operated for a while with only a HC and one full-time assistant.

 

[OneTimer]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

A second serious mistake on my part with my posts this month. ARM - you are correct. One paid head coach and two paid full time assistant coaches and one on ice volunteer.

 

[joehockey]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

Most staffs have a head coach and two assistants, all paid. Then they may add volunteers such as a goaltending coach or recent alums as volunteer assistants. BC is one of the few staffs that comes to mind on the women's side that has operated for a while with only a HC and one full-time assistant.

I think Providence has only had a Head Coach Deraney and One Assistant Karen Thatcher with a volunteer goalie Coach Bob Bellemore.

 

[Hux]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

I think Providence has only had a Head Coach Deraney and One Assistant Karen Thatcher with a volunteer goalie Coach Bob Bellemore.

And if I am not mistaken, Maine was a one and one with Lichterman and Simard.

 

[PrepHockeyGuy]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

Maine might still just be one full head and one full asst with Maria and Ricky plus a volunteer. Could be wrong though so don't quote me on it.

It has been really interesting to see the Men's program fill out their staff in an entirely opposite way of the women's staff. Yes, their are a lot of reasons for that but just very different.

 

[mar7967]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

Official schedule announcement: http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/w-hockey/spec-rel/060712aae.html

 

[PennStateWomensHockey]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

For anyone wondering about Penn State women's hockey tickets for the 2012-13 season, games are free again like last year (according to Lauren King at the Penn State ticket office). Nothing has been decided yet for the 2013-14 season when the Pegula Arena opens, but you know the word "free" won't be part of that plan.

 

[spwood]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

They're playing a weekend series with Chatham??? They'd be better off playing inter-squad scrimmages, or an ACHA club team. I love Chatham's heart on the ice, but with their very limited roster, Div III teams regularly struggle to keep double digits margins off the scoreboard. If this was a case of just wanting to fill an open weekend, I don't think two games with Chatham is better than just having the weekend open.

Sorry for picking on Chatham, but if Penn State is trying to build a quality Div I program, games with this team will do nothing to further that goal....

 

[Mission]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

Wow spwood, getting a bit "uppity" awfully quickly arent we??? Based upon last seasons game scores vs. D3 schools, it may be in PSU's best interest to play the Chatham game so that they at least have one potentially competitive series and not get blown out (also see Lindenwood's results from last season). Not to mention the fact that I am sure the Chatham team and school very much appreciate the fact that they will be allowed to scrimmage a D1 team next season as it represents a challenge for them to look forward to (even if they are supposed to be blown out per your post). I think PSU will have their hands very full having reviewed their schedule for next season -- and may in fact welcome the Chatham weekend with open arms. You should put more worry into why they chose the present coaching staff given all of the qualified candidates that were available ilo playing one D3 weekend. Oh, and no, I don't have a kid playing at Chatham, nor am I affiliated with them.

 

[canadahockey26]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

Penn State is in for a tough year. It may help to have them play a game they will probably win. Chatham also regularly plays Elmira, Plattsburgh, and RIT. Penn State is probably going to be a step down for those three teams in their first year.

Chatham last year also tied Penn State's strong club team 0-0, and 2-2. Chatham is about equivalent of a D1 club team. Chatham, Mercyhurst, and Robert Morris are the only NCAA teams in PA. Penn State plays Mercyhurst and Robert Morris in league.

Penn State probably would rather play Chatham, a game where they will almost certainly win than embarrass themselves if they lose to a strong D-III team.

Watched the Chatham series vs. Penn State club last year and they were great games. Both teams were pretty equal and it was an exciting game. It may also give Penn State the chance to play some of their other players (looking at the roster, some names listed will struggle in D1 hockey and probably not play much).

 

[spwood]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

Wow spwood, getting a bit "uppity" awfully quickly arent we???

All I know is what I've seen of Chatham over the years. They are 10-172-5 over the last 10 years (and haven't won a game since Feb 20, 2010). They were outscored last year 133-8 (including 68-4 in six games against the top three teams in the league). They have in the past (Plattsburgh played them on the road last year so I didn't see their team at all) been barely able to skate two full lines and, by the third period, teams are playing keep-away and trying not to shoot the puck. If Penn State wants to feel good about themselves by winning a game, I'm not sure that is accomplished by even a start-up Div I team beating the worst Div III team probably in any sport. If they happen to lose one of those games? Wow....I can't even imagine....

As for the end of your comments, I can't speak intelligently about the coaching situation - who they hired or who they didn't, so I've stayed out of that part of the conversation.

 

[giwan]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

Really playing or not playing Chatham, no matter how good or bad especially in PSU's first year just really does not matter. Completely irrelevant.

 

[WIrinkrat]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

All I know is what I've seen of Chatham over the years. They are 10-172-5 over the last 10 years

Not getting into the merits of Penn State playing Chatham (though personally I'm quite surprised) but it's worth mentioning that all 10 of those wins were with Phoebe Manchester at the helm and 9 of the 10 came in the first two seasons with her recruits...many of whom transferred out when she left and the rest of which graduated at the end of this past season.

As bad as this year was, next year has the potential to be even worse for them if they don't have any help coming via recruiting. While I'm personally very surprised that these games are happening, I do agree with those who say that it really isn't a big deal. If Penn State is still playing Chatham in a couple of years, I may have a different opinion on the subject.

 

[canadahockey26]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

All I know is what I've seen of Chatham over the years. They are 10-172-5 over the last 10 years (and haven't won a game since Feb 20, 2010). They were outscored last year 133-8 (including 68-4 in six games against the top three teams in the league). They have in the past (Plattsburgh played them on the road last year so I didn't see their team at all) been barely able to skate two full lines and, by the third period, teams are playing keep-away and trying not to shoot the puck. If Penn State wants to feel good about themselves by winning a game, I'm not sure that is accomplished by even a start-up Div I team beating the worst Div III team probably in any sport. If they happen to lose one of those games? Wow....I can't even imagine....

As for the end of your comments, I can't speak intelligently about the coaching situation - who they hired or who they didn't, so I've stayed out of that part of the conversation.

I don't know why you have such a hate on for Chatham. There are programs in other divisions that struggle just like Chatham yet Chatham gets all of the hate, no one calls out Cortland, or St. Mikes, or Plymouth. Calling them the worst team in division 3 history is insulting and wrong. Chatham played a great game with the Penn State club team last year ending in 2 ties. Obviously Chatham is not competitive with Plattsburgh. Very few teams are. But Chatham is about the same as Cortland, and can easily compete with Buff State, Utica, and even Neumann. Chatham graduates some strong players, but none that stood out in D3 hockey. Chatham graduates some seniors that hurt the team chemistry and didn't work hard for the team. There are 7 recruits coming into Chatham to replace 5 seniors. The new recruits seem to be recruited for quality over quantity whereas in the past Chatham recruited players just to fill the team.

Yes I have ties to Chatham, I also have ties to Penn State. Yes I realize they aren't a strong division 3 program. But the school is putting money into the team this year. They are getting a locker room built and new jerseys. Playing Penn State will be no harder for Chatham than playing RIT, Elmira, or Plattsburgh. It will be a tune-up game for Penn State. It doesn't hurt either team. PSU should win and Chatham should lose. The same thing will happen when Penn State plays Mercyhurst.

Chatham will experience blow outs next year, and they will experience close games as well. Penn State will be in the same situation. Yet no one is complaining about having to play Penn State. I am sure none of the players on either team are complaining about having to play each other either.

 

[PennStateWomensHockey]

Re: Penn State Womens Hockey

The Chatham series also comes after Penn State has finished the first run of conference games against the other five CHA teams, and by then a series with Chatham might be good for the team. If Chatham is as much of a cupcake as some think, it will be a good series for working out any kinks that were exploited during the conference games, or shuffling players around on different lines and trying new things before Penn State gets into the second run of conference games. I agree with the idea that in the school's first D-1 season it's not that big a deal.