The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Reminiscent of 2015...

https://www.nhl.com/news/the-university-...=306702280

Quote:The University of Alabama in Huntsville, along with alumni and supporters, are committing $17 million to preserve and enhance the only NCAA Division I hockey team in the southeastern United States...

The NHL considers UAH and its legacy an integral part of growing the game geographically in so-called non-traditional areas of the U.S.

A recently-formed UAH hockey advisory board tasked with helping to improve the program includes Nashville Predators president and chief operating officer Sean Henry, Tampa Bay Lightning executive vice president of communications Bill Wickett and Philadelphia Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr.

"In Tampa, we have had a soft spot for Alabama-Huntsville since partnering with the university in hosting the 2012 NCAA Frozen Four in our arena," Wickett said. "As a non-traditional hockey market, we see value in having southern-based college hockey programs and we'll do what we can to continue to support grow-the-game initiatives wherever they are based.

https://www.al.com/news/2020/11/17-milli...uture.html

Quote:Ice hockey appears to have a “long-term” future at the University of Alabama in Huntsville after news about the embattled program today from UAH and the National Hockey League...

The hockey supporters will now seek membership in a major hockey conference and to build “a multi-purpose facility on the UAH campus that will be the home of the Charger hockey program,” UAH said. The facility “would be subject to approval of the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees based on the board’s established criteria, which includes achieving fundraising goals, developing a sustainable business plan, and aligning with UAH’s budget parameters,” UAH said.

Amazing news. Congratulations to UAH and Charger Hockey!

Congrats! The sport is growing a bit down here. I wonder who'll be their Bill Clark?

That's great news. Now they need to find a new conference affiliation, because this is the last year of the WCHA. Everyone but UAH and Alaska-Fairbanks was invited to join the CCHA and Alaska-Anchorage is shutting their program down.

It would be nice to see them get into the ECAC for hockey, which has several engineering-oriented schools. Unfortunately, the conference is also loaded with Ivy League blue bloods who would not welcome an Alabama school.

I don't want to rain on the parade, but this is a patch, not a save. It's not enough for an arena. They don't have a viable conference affiliation, and if they do get into one they still face huge travel costs. I respect the effort and wish them all the best with it, but I'm afraid this is a long term losing effort unless they find a financial angel.

(11-12-2020 03:32 PM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  I don't want to rain on the parade, but

Half of ECAC Hockey will not be playing this season. The Ivy League has cancelled all winter sports, including those that are are competed in a different conference. That leaves 6 teams active in the league. Some of those 6, such as RPI, are still not allowing any of their athletic teams to practice.

I don't know if the WCHA is going to be allowing members to add more non-conference games. UAH has a non-conf series scheduled at Robert Morris, which is near Pittsburgh. I called their ticket office to see if they were allowing fans, but they are limiting attendance to 30!