Alton

April 29th, 2016 at 2:21 PM ^

Nothing is even remotely similar between Penn State and Arizona State.

PSU built a Division I-quality hockey arena, and hired a proven Division I college hockey coach.  Arizona State does not have any on-campus arena, and their coach is an ASU alum who was a club-level coach and has no Division I experience.

Division I talent was heading to Penn State from the day they hired Guy Gadowski.  Arizona State has made less of a commitment to college hockey than American International or Bentley or even Michigan State.

turd ferguson

April 29th, 2016 at 1:37 PM ^

Without Arizona State hockey in the Big Ten, is life even worth living?

I can't believe that was ever seriously considered.  There are a ton of good, interesting college hockey programs nearby.  Why we'd look to Tempe is beyond me.

Wolvie3758

April 29th, 2016 at 1:44 PM ^

more BIG schools would get hockey..I mean we are a Midwest/East based conference where hockey is very popular in many states that dont have Div 1 Hockey..Nebraska, Iowa,Indiana ,Purdue,  NW, Illinois , Maryland and Rugers...You are NOT a true BIG school if you dont have a hockey team...we need 3 of those teams to step it up

JClay

April 29th, 2016 at 1:57 PM ^

Illinois would be cool. They have an existing (and totally bizarre 200'x115' -- 15 feet WIDER than OLYMPIC ICE) arena on campus that seats like 2000 people. Again, though, AD finances make Illinois, Maryland, and Rutgers completely unable to even consider going D1 without an angel donor like Pegula was to PSU.

y2mh

April 30th, 2016 at 11:39 AM ^

 Main thing stopping many from adding D1 hockey is cost but it's also the hidden costs.

 Not so much for the actual hockey program, but the residual costs associated with Title IX and having to equate a similar amount of women's programs to offset any gender differences.

JClay

April 29th, 2016 at 1:52 PM ^

I have heard from multiple Nebraska fans that there was some agreement within the U of Nebraska system that when UN-Omaha came up to Division 1 athletics, they would agree to drop football and in exchange UN-Lincoln would not add hockey. I've never actually seen (or looked for honestly) anything to confirm this, FWIW.

Save Us Mel

April 29th, 2016 at 10:25 PM ^

It's only an hour from Lincoln to Omaha and it seems like a number of their fans make the trip down for games.  We've been to 4 games there and it was funny that more fans wore Nebraska football jerseys than UNO hockey ones.

Kevin13

April 29th, 2016 at 3:24 PM ^

only because UNO football was D-II for many years and can't imagine they would even make a jump to D-1. I think another hockey team there would make for a local rivalry right from the start

I have heard Nebraska has been looking at the possibility of adding one and maybe if the conference pushed them they might just take that leap. Have been told Illionis had a very good club theam and could easily make the jump. The B1G needs a few more teams to add hockey

Alton

April 29th, 2016 at 2:11 PM ^

The NCHC released a statement on Twitter within the last hour that said, among other things, "the reports made earlier regarding an impending change of membership within our conference are inaccurate." 

It doesn't exactly say that Arizona State isn't joining their conference, but it does say that a final decision has not been made.

Unsalted

April 29th, 2016 at 5:20 PM ^

If ASU does join NCHC then they should also consider adding Air Force. That would make the NCHC 10 teams. It would make sense geographically, especially for AF who is a member of the Atlantic Hockey conference.