CCHA is dead.
The WCHA has invited the five schools (Alaska, Bowling Green, Ferris, Lake State, Western) that would've been left in the dying CCHA starting in 2013-14.
CCHA Link: http://www.ccha.com/five_ccha_member_schools_receive_invitations_to_joi…
WCHA Link: http://www.wcha.com/men/pres1112/201108/aug25wcm.php
August 25th, 2011 at 4:59 PM ^
Well its not dead yet...they received invitations to go join the WCHA. However them not joining seems to be a pointless move. So dying yes, but not yet dead.
August 25th, 2011 at 6:32 PM ^
I'm getting better!
No you're not you'll be stone dead in a moment.
I don't want to go in the cart.
You're not fooling anyone you know.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:59 PM ^
sad day for college hockey. I hope Michigan can still play some local teams like ferris, lssu, and western.
August 25th, 2011 at 5:02 PM ^
So then who from the WCHA is left that BG, LSSU, UAF, WMU & Ferris are joining?
I know Alaska-Anchorage is there. Who else?
August 25th, 2011 at 5:05 PM ^
Michigan Tech, Bemidji State, Minnesota State, St. Cloud State and Northern Michigan.
August 25th, 2011 at 5:10 PM ^
Sad the CCHA is going the way of the do-do BUT essentially two conferences (WCHA and CCHA) have now begat three (Big Ten, the revamped WCHA and the West-of-the-Mississippi-Non-Big-Ten-but-too-good-to-be-WCHA Super Conference)
August 25th, 2011 at 5:21 PM ^
I am still concerned about Alabama-Huntsville. With their budget they will not last much longer as a D1 independent. Secondly, Mercyhurst Robert Morris, Niagra, and Canisus are looking to escape from Atlantic Hockey, which has a 12 scholarships limit lower than the NCAA 18 scholarships limit.
August 25th, 2011 at 5:05 PM ^
Did we ever find out what Notre Dame is doing? Did they officially join a conference and I missed it?
August 25th, 2011 at 5:11 PM ^
Pretty sure they are either joining the NCHC (and Western would go with them), joining Hockey East, or going independent.
August 25th, 2011 at 5:36 PM ^
Seeing Western in the list made me think ND had reached a decision due to their paring in the NCHC rumors. But after re-reading, I realized these are invitations to the WCHA and not acceptance. It will be interesting to see if Western accepts.
August 25th, 2011 at 5:15 PM ^
The fact that they haven't made a decision yet, which doesn't seem it should take that long, and the reemergence of realignment has gotten me to waste time speculating about B1G things. I know, unlikely.
August 25th, 2011 at 5:17 PM ^
They'll go independent...
August 25th, 2011 at 5:07 PM ^
I think a lot of people saw this coming. Hopefully the programs can continue in the WCHA because there is no way they could have carried the CCHA on their own.
August 25th, 2011 at 5:17 PM ^
As much as certain people hyped the B1G Ten Hockey conferences formation, it was undoubtedly a bad thing for college hockey as a whole. Mathematically, certain teams are simply going to be left out of conference reformation and close up shop. Even schools that get absorbed into other conferences (Western, for example) are going to face economic crisis not having the same number of home games against the NDs and Michigans of the world.
August 25th, 2011 at 5:28 PM ^
That's only one aspect of it. Another is that teams that play against B1G teams will get television exposure they wouldn't get in the past. The same might be said of the other new conference if ESPN or another network decide to pick up those games. That will give college hockey a big boost in viewership and interest, which will probably help spur more schools to create hockey programs. Obviously, certain schools will hurt in the meantime, but it's not all doom and gloom.
August 25th, 2011 at 5:40 PM ^
The ECAC seems to do pretty well for itself despite a lack of popularity... just saying
August 25th, 2011 at 5:19 PM ^
I hope there will still be College Hockey at the Joe, the GLI, and the Big Ten hockey playoffs at the Joe
August 25th, 2011 at 5:30 PM ^
The only college hockey at the Joe in the near future will most likely be the GLI and the last Michigan/MSU game of the season. The WCHA tourney will most likely be at the Xcel Center for the WCHA Final Five. I think I remember the B1G saying the hockey tourney will be at the United Center (or I could be just speculating).
Honestly, since I live in Ann Arbor I would love for games to be at the Joe. It will just suck to drive 4 hours for the conference finals now. Oh well.
August 25th, 2011 at 5:57 PM ^
I think I remember the B1G saying the hockey tourney will be at the United Center (or I could be just speculating).
No, the entire tournament is going to be at campus sites:
http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/big-ten-hockey-tournament-format-announced
August 25th, 2011 at 6:10 PM ^
Worst case scenario we would have to drive to Minnesota...ugh...
August 25th, 2011 at 5:30 PM ^
Glad that the programs that had been left out in the realignment were able to form some kind of viable conference. I think they have a definite shot at staying going concerns this way.
August 25th, 2011 at 5:39 PM ^
still a bummer we won't play the d2 schools anymore
August 25th, 2011 at 5:41 PM ^
D-II doesn't exist in college hockey.. only D-I and D-III
August 25th, 2011 at 5:50 PM ^
Does Appalachian State have a hockey team?
August 25th, 2011 at 10:14 PM ^
Also, too soon...[shudders]
August 25th, 2011 at 5:45 PM ^
We had some great times.
I think this is probably the best outcome under the circumstances, though. Some things now make sense geographically (both Alaska schools in one conference, for example), and with guaranteed games against B1G schools and others, they'll be ok financially.
August 25th, 2011 at 7:54 PM ^
Agree. This is better for college hockey than the dregs of the CCHA being left in an unviable craptastic league a la Atlantic Hockey or the old CHA.
August 25th, 2011 at 5:46 PM ^
Can someone do a breakdown of what all the conferences will look like if these teams accept the invitation?
With all the stuff going down the past 6 months, I get dazed and confused as to how it will all shake down.
August 25th, 2011 at 8:58 PM ^
Atlantic Hockey (12)
Remains the same.
Big Ten (6)
Michigan/Michigan St/Minnesota/Ohio St/Penn St/Wisconsin
ECAC (12)
Remains the same.
Hockey East (10)
Remains the same (possibly plus ND)
NCHC (8)
Colorado College/Denver/Miami/UMD/UNO/UND (probably plus ND/Western)
WCHA (9)
Alaska-Anchorage/UAF/Bemidji/BGSU/Ferris St/Lake Superior/Michigan Tech/Minnesota St/St. Cloud State
Left out in the cold
Alabama-Huntsville/Northern
August 25th, 2011 at 9:04 PM ^
Northern's already been accepted in the WCHA, haven't thye?
August 25th, 2011 at 10:07 PM ^
You are correct, sir.
A quick google search should've told me what I needed to know. So that would take the WCHA to 10 and leave Bama-Huntsville out in the cold.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:22 PM ^
Is having two Alaska teams going to be a mess for the WCHA financially? I remember reading that they had to be kept in separate leagues to minimize the overall expense to other schools.
August 25th, 2011 at 6:03 PM ^
Penn State. In the words of Yost's student section: "It's all your fault!"
August 25th, 2011 at 11:14 PM ^
Maybe no true powerhouses - but they're certainly the Conference-USA of college hockey. And I mean that in a good way.
August 25th, 2011 at 11:26 PM ^
These schools may not be perrenial powerhouses, but each has a storied tradition and there are a couple a national championships among these schools. To compare these hockey programs to the CUSA would be an insult. Im glad they were picked up by a major conference and I hope to see these teams at Yost for many years to come! The new WCHA will not be a pushover conference come tourney time!
August 26th, 2011 at 12:11 AM ^
While C-USA is now "just another mid-major" in football, for a long time it was like what the Mountain West was so recently - a strong mid-major, just one step removed from the big boys. I still think of them that way, what with Tulane and ECU holding it down. And to me, the new WCHA is this - a strong college hockey conference. Maybe not a powerhouse, but a strong conference nonetheless.