EMUTRACK1574 Wrote:Then maybe Alaska-Fairbanks will move to the WCHA. I have no clue why they are in the CCHA.

There would then be two Alaska teams in the WCHA which would make travel very cost prohibitive for most of the schools in the conference.

Sorry, Wisconsin and Minnesota are very storied programs. I don't see the WCHA giving them up easily - same goes for the Weasels and Egg Suckers in the CCHA. I also don't see OSU wanting to get spanked by the above four teams regularly. It would be a very tough conference but I believe that may be a reason the aforementioned teams would wish to avoid such a conference alignment for hockey.

Pardon my intrusion into this thread...but I am a big College Hockey fan. When I was growing up my dad used to take me 2-5 Miami games a year. (grew up in Germantown)

Couldn't the B10 add Miami, BG, and WMU as associate members like the MAC did with UK soccer?

That would give them 8 teams for a full conference. The MAC based teams would also benefit from the added $$$ and exposure.

Sounds workable to me.

TomorrowHerd Wrote:Couldn't the B10 add Miami, BG, and WMU as associate members like the MAC did with UK soccer?

That would give them 8 teams for a full conference. The MAC based teams would also benefit from the added $$$ and exposure.

Sounds workable to me.

With five current Big 10 teams, they'd probably need at least three more (but possibly only one more) to make a Big10 hockey league. With Miami's new rink (although its small), Miami is a possible associate member, especially with its strong academics. WMU and BGU are possible as well. Notre Dame could possibly be on the outside looking in, as the Big Ten may not want to do them any favors unless they totally join in all sports. A new Big 10 hockey school (Penn State), or other higher tier schools that could add hockey as associate members (like Iowa State, Syracuse, or DePaul - not saying any of those are likely - but in the past those schools have been considered hockey candidates). At North Dakota, we would like to think that we would get consideration - in spite of our small media market - because we sellout our rink (11,400 / game - 2nd only to Wisconsin in average), our historic rivalries with Michigan and MSU (pre-CCHA) and with Wisco and Minnesota (UND's OT winning goal against the Gophers was the #1 play on SportsCenter last night), our seven national championships, and we are nearly a top 100 research university. Denver - with their great rink, history, academics, and media market -may also be possible but is a geographical stretch. Nebraska-Omaha has a huge rink and good crowds, but lacks history and is basically a commuter school.

zibby Wrote:Linky

28 men from Western New York play D-I hockey. I don't know how many play FBS football, but I bet it's nowhere near 28 (not counting walk-ons). Buffalo also produced the #1 overall pick in the last NHL draft.

This area also produces a lot of lacrosse players. It's crazy that UB doesn't compete in either sport.

NY State is 3rd in the number of American NHL players produced, but yet no NY FBS school like Buffalo or Syracuse sponsors the sport?

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NY State is 3rd in the number of American NHL players produced, but yet no NY FBS school like Buffalo or Syracuse sponsors the sport?


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It's absurd that UB or SU does not play hockey but New York State is well represented in D1 hockey. In addition to the two Buffalo area schools (Canisius & Niagara) there's Cornell, RIT, Clarkson, St. Lawrence and I'm sure others that are not on the top of my head.

Another Western New York kid is picked in the first round of the NHL draft: Linky

I have no idea who was the last guy from around here drafted in the first round by the NFL. We might have to go all the way back to Shane Conlan.

Didn't UB do something called the Corrigan Report a couple years ago to address the athletics situation at UB? I think it recommended Lacrosse and/or ice hockey. Not sure what exactly the purpose was of that report?