ManBehindTheCurtain
Great and powerful wizard
Re: Union College Dutchwomen 2013-2014
There isn't any economic incentive (or anywhere for them to play) for 18 year old female players to not play college until they are 20. The very best North American players are just NOT going to be delaying college and entering NCAA women's programs at an advanced age.
There are no lessons to be learned for women's hockey from the well deserved success of the Union men's program.
The Union women's team is going to have a hard time acquiring 20 year old frosh who have the capability to be absolutely top of the line players as seniors at age 24. On the women's side almost every single player who has shown elite potential will have been identified by age 18 and will be accepting the only benefit available as a result of that elite status at the age of 18, a Division I scholarship. For right then, when they are 18.TIME is certainly the key, IF you have those one or two key coaches who can make a difference. With the Union men it started not with Bennett, but with Nate Leaman, who arrived in '03-'04 and build a contender (which included the recruitment of Bennett). Leaman is now working the same magic at Providence. But things didn't happen overnight for Leaman either. It took him 7 years to build the program from a .444 record to .615 contender, but he clearly knew what he was doing and administration stuck with him long enough to make it work. I don't know the coaching staff for the women's team well enough to know whether the same potential exists, but I do see movement in the right direction.
There isn't any economic incentive (or anywhere for them to play) for 18 year old female players to not play college until they are 20. The very best North American players are just NOT going to be delaying college and entering NCAA women's programs at an advanced age.
There are no lessons to be learned for women's hockey from the well deserved success of the Union men's program.