Yeah, I know that at least one of the assistants is in place [got that in an email this morning from a parent].
GFM
And you didn't share? Bat-tard.
Not this time apparently.
CCHA to discuss adding 12th team:
http://www.detnews.com/article/2010...n-State--very-attractive--as-potential-member
Certainly, PSU stands a better shot at a CCHA berth than UAH does, but then that raises the BTHC spectre again in a way that the BT expansion this summer did not [when NtD was being courted].
I've always said that I'd be very surprised if PSU jumped to D-I hockey. I stand by that.
GFM
I'll agree Geof, that I'll believe it when I see it. There have been rumors of such things since I was an undergrad there.
BUT there was never a newspaper report putting names and actual dates to any of the rumors. This may be the first time I can remember the story actually having some legs to it.
That said, as a Penn State Alum, I am excited. As someone so close to the RMU program, I am kinda scared as to what this will mean to us. For my former CHA-brethen, my heart is bleeding.
There's been rumors of a new college hockey team potentially joining the CCHA going around the last week or so, and I've been slow to comment, mainly because I thought, based on recent precedent, the CCHA had made it clear they had no use for a program with a 6000-seat arena, that is hundreds of miles away from the rest of the league, in an area that doesn't produce a lot of hockey players. But I guess a name makes quite a difference
If the PSU thing comes across, holy hell ... there aren't enough censors on the USCHO forum for the venom I'd unleash, and I'd probably get banned. Be worth it, though.
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Juli...State-the-Big-Ten--What-it-All-Means/99/29730
Good article. I do however, have to pick on one thing. She mentions that Penn State has a successful women's program. At the club level, yes they do. I played them and they have a very good team. A very good club team. I honestly couldn't see them making the jump to DI right now. Although becoming DI would attract more talent, and Pennsylvania girls' hockey is full of talented players, it would be several years I think before they could even ice a competitive DI team. So I think that puts a chink in the Title IX issue armor for Penn State.
Why is it that every time a school with a club hockey team is said to be considering adding D-I hockey we have this discussion? Okay, here we go - How many kids on RMU's '03-'04 club team played for the varsity D-I team in '04-'05, do you think? Give up? The answer is zero. Same will be the case when/if Penn State starts a varsity D-I team. In fact, PSU likely would still offer club hockey (just like RMU still does) after starting up varsity D-I. Now, maybe a few women's players might make the PSU varsity team from the club team, but there's a reason most of these players are playing club and not varsity D-I. Keep in mind that the first season, RMU had 21 Freshmen + 3 transfers... PSU would likely be the same.
I get your point, but it doesn't completely invalidate mine.
I do however, have to pick on one thing. She mentions that Penn State has a successful women's program. At the club level, yes they do. I played them and they have a very good team. A very good club team. I honestly couldn't see them making the jump to DI right now.
Last thing I'll say on this subject - I never said they would win the national championship with 21 freshmen and 3 transfers (ala RMU, who won only 8 games with that many freshmen), just that your contention that:
Implies that there would never be a good time to "jump" (I'll use your term for argument's sake). Since PSU (or any schoool starting a varsity team - men's or otherwise) essentially starts its roster from scratch, unless they can bring in top-level recruits that could win them a conference or national title (from what I understand of your argument), it isn't worth it, since it would take "several years I think before they could even ice a competitive DI team." Well, how do you think they are going to bring in those better players? By telling incomming club players that they "may" be going D-I sometime in the future, and the better players will magically decide to forgo those scholarship offers to Mercyhurst (a women's CHA team that was #1 in the nation last year, BTW), or Wisconsin or UMD or UMinn? Or should they actually start a varsity team, and recruit better players and offer scholarships, rather than telling them that they have to "pay to play?"
Like I said, I'm gonna be done with this discussion now. If you don't understand what I'm saying, no one can help you...
And women's hockey does make the most sense. What I'm saying is that, as a UAH fan, I would be highly ****ed off if the CCHA takes a brand new DI program (and women's program that would have to be in the WCHA or CHA) over one that has proven success at the DI level.
Obviously, it sucks for UAH, but if you think that the CCHA member schools are going to pass up a chance to add a name D1 school like Penn State with the resources and fan base to be a player in NCAA hockey, you are crazy.
And the CHA would be a fine landing spot for a Penn State Women's program, with perennial top 5 Mercyhurst and a "name" university in Syracuse, plus fairly short trips to RMU and Niagara. Hell, it may even be enough to convince Ohio State to leave the WCHA.