Arizona State to the NCHC (hockey)
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2016/04/29_arizona_state_finalizi…
They are going to be getting crushed their first few years. Probably winless in conference this year or close to it
Don't be too sure... Look at Penn State... ASU has pulled in a lot of D1 talent over the years... They won't have too big of a growing pains period
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.
The Sparty commitment is weird considering they have won a NC in our lifetimes.
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.
North Dakota.
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It makes way too much sense. Delaney will struggle to do it for some reason.
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Yup, that's where I'd start, too.
that was a shocker.
would be worth clicking on.
It's deja vu all over again
They already look like they could try out for the cheer/dance squad at UW.
Someone remind me why I go to Michigan instead of ASU?
Low rent...
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
Costs a lot of money.
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This. It's sad we are not taking advantage of the Chicago market (unless you semi-count ND). Northwestern doesn't have a big enough following and Illinois athletic department is a wreck.
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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.
Illinois would have to build a new rink. Older rinks with bigger sheets are grandfathered in, new rinks have to be standard size.
Illinois would have to build a new rink. Older rinks with bigger sheets are grandfathered in, new rinks have to be standard size.
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.
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.
UNO would want Nebraska to have a team..natural rival, more eposure for them and prob sold out games..that seems like a pretty stupid idea if you ask me...which you didnt
Indeed weird... especially since it can work (see the UMASS system).
Are there that many hockey fans in Nebraska?
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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.
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
I think that rumor has weight. their basketball arena is also an ice rink.. why wouldn't they have a team? they have they money, too
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.
What do you guys think of UNO? They're decent enough and as long as Lincoln doesn't have a team, they could be the Nebraska filler.
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.