Re: Saint Anselm possibly moving up to D-I?
not really interested in prolonging this but...
1 " relatively well " is a by product of the overall strength of a league. the ECACE is a competetive league and as such there is very little difference in records or quality in teams 2-6,7.
The next mid tier teams in the ECAC East after Norwich on average over the past 10 seasons has a 12 pt average differential. The mid SUNYAC has a 7 point average differential. The ECAC East also averages over 60% of their teams having a .500 or below record, the SUNYAC was 37% over the past 9 years.
2 Why would I think you had not seen St.A's play ? Maybe because of previous comment.
There aren't many teams (especially from the east) I don't manage to get to see in a season. While not a bottom feeder, nothing to really turn a head at either.
3 Remember I said tuition but to use overall cost, if you must , pick the larger number $ 48,000 or $ 29,000. So just to get even, St.a's would have to give every hockey player, regardless of need ,$ 20,000. As to average debt, who cares.
Most everyone who actually pays for college cares about average debt. You can have the big "sticker" price tag all you want, but the average cost after all the private grants, scholarships, FA the average student gets at St.A's brings the average debt to just a few thousand more then those cheap state schools, which is what I was pointing out.
4 other major cities was said tongue in cheek. The closer to other cities the more to do and see in addition to DIII hockey which might have an impact on attendence. keep in mind Plattsburgh has 6,000 students and St.A's is around 1900. Actual seating at Sulllivan arena is 700 and they stop taking attendance when the game starts. Don't know for sure but there maybe more to do in Manchester on the weekend than Plattsburgh.
So what you're saying is people from the area just don't care about St.Anselm hockey, those that do come late, but when they go DI that will change, got it. Every place you look, even the St.A's site, lists Sullivan arena hockey game capacity as that. Even if actual capacity is half that, they are still hardly pushing 39% capacity. Rocking! People attend Plattsburgh State, Oswego State, Norwich, ect because their teams are good. Elmira use to boast one of the highest average attendances in DIII and wasn't even on campus, and when the results started to drop, attendance did as well.
5 St.A's does not offer FA grant ( scholarship?) money for international students. They also believe that the success or failure of the hockey program does not depend on international students. Just curious,I'm sure the average grant to international hockey players is the same as for the other 325 foreign students at Plattsburgh
And you keep that "belief", you will do great!
It's not a fact of the "don't" its the fact they could but choose not to which makes you question just how much they will be willing to make a successful and competitive hockey program. You will only be a 2nd tier DIII team (let alone DI) with out offering incentives to get Canadian players on your team. The stats are clear as day as to success vs international players across the board, but I forgot you will go DI and compete with Boston College and BU for all those Mass recruits. I mean come on....St. Anselm or Boston College, I'm sure you will do well with that.
and B. Yes it has to be at least 51% to non-athletes to athletes or the NCAA would not allow it....if there is one school the NCAA wants to nail again its Plattsburgh.
6 they are playing a predominantly DIII schedule and have been trying to figure out a way for a waiver to have their games count. This would solve their problem but probably won't happen. Which leaves,reclassifying the entire athletic program to DIII.
And I think you would be hard pressed to find any true DIII fan who wouldn't sign and or fight for St.A's to be included in DIII. It's where they belong and what the kids deserve.
7 As to moving up to next level of teams ? who is at that next level beside Plattsburgh ?
Plattsburgh, Utica, Norwich, St.Norbert, Oswego, Middlebury, Hobart, Neumann, Stout, Adrian, St.Thomas....you know...those teams that actually play meaningful games in March.