Earlier this year, the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association saw itself blown up. Five members -- all University of Wisconsin system schools -- pulled out of the league so the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference could start its own hockey league.
The move immediately cast doubt on the futures of two private schools -- St. Scholastica of Duluth and St. Norbert, near Green Bay -- in the league.
Now, those futures are more clear. Wes Hodkiewicz of the Green Bay Press Gazette reported Monday morning that the two will join the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association for men's hockey starting in the 2013-14 season.
Two local sources have since confirmed the report. A press conference is set for the St. Norbert campus on Tuesday afternoon to make the official announcement.
St. Norbert has won ten of the last 11 NCHA regular season championships, and the Green Knights are back-to-back NCAA Division III champions. SNC is unbeaten at 55-0-2 all-time against the current membership of the MCHA.
(That membership, by the way, is as follows: Adrian and Finlandia of Michigan; Concordia, Lawrence, Marian, Milwaukee School of Engineering, and Northland of Wisconsin; and Lake Forest of Illinois.)
The league has seen improvement in recent years, thanks in part to the addition of an automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs for its tournament champion. Adrian was the NCAA runner-up in 2010, while MSOE made the tournament last year and was hardly embarrassed in its first-ever game, losing 3-1 at Gustavus Adolphus.
Obviously, the WIAC taking in CSS and St. Norbert would have been best from a competitive standpoint. I can't envision a scenario where the Green Knights don't dominate the MCHA, at least at the start. The majority of the league will have plenty of work to do to catch up to the level SNC is capable of playing.
This adds uncertainty on the WIAC side, as the league -- currently set to be comprised of UWS, UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Stout -- is one team short of the minimum required for an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. There had been rumblings the conference would pursue Concordia (located in Mequon) and MSOE to develop a Milwaukee footprint. Nothing has been announced in that regard, however.
Showing posts with label ncha. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ncha. Show all posts
Monday, June 18, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
WIAC Schools Leaving NCHA
Big news out of local Division III hockey Wednesday, as the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletics Conference announced its five hockey-playing member schools will leave the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association after the 2013-14 season.
In an emailed statement, WIAC commissioner Gary Karner says the move was announced now so the remaining NCHA teams -- only Duluth-based St. Scholastica and St. Norbert out of Green Bay for men's hockey -- would have a chance to figure out what they are going to do.
This means that UWS, UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Stout will be breaking off from the NCHA and forming a five-team league.
Immediately, alarm bells should be ringing. You need seven in your league to get an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Why would a five-team group form its own league without some sort of assurance it will eventually get to that seven-team minimum?
That means something is in the hopper here.
According to a source, the WIAC is expected to target -- get this -- St. Scholastica and St. Norbert as hockey-only members. Issues surrounding financial aid, transfers, and such are at play. These are issues that existed when I was actively covering the league a few years ago, so none of it is really news. Simply put, this looks like a WIAC power play, meant to get control over rules that it sees as beneficial to the private schools in the NCHA.
The WIAC may also seek a footprint in the Milwaukee area, which would potentially mean going after current MCHA members Milwaukee School of Engineering and Concordia, which is based in Mequon. Concordia is in the NCHA for women's hockey, and the WIAC would need to add three non-WIAC schools for women's hockey in order to secure enough teams for an NCAA automatic bid.
There could be impacts on women's hockey, depending on how the WIAC goes after new members to strengthen the league and get enough teams to secure NCAA autobids. That's much less clear at this point.
In a statement from the school, UWS athletic director Steve Nelson made it clear that the door isn't closed on WIAC membership for anyone.
I don't know what this means in the end, but it's interesting to see one of the traditionally powerful leagues in Division III get blown up for unknown reasons. It sounds vaguely familiar to many of you, I'm sure.
In an emailed statement, WIAC commissioner Gary Karner says the move was announced now so the remaining NCHA teams -- only Duluth-based St. Scholastica and St. Norbert out of Green Bay for men's hockey -- would have a chance to figure out what they are going to do.
Karner noted that the current budgetary challenges confronting all WIAC institutions and the composition of the NCHA (a single-sport conference comprised of institutions that are members of six different multi-sport conferences as well as five institutions that are members for women’s ice hockey only) were among a number of factors that led to a decision that is deemed to be in the long-term, best interests of the WIAC.
This means that UWS, UW-Eau Claire, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Stout will be breaking off from the NCHA and forming a five-team league.
Immediately, alarm bells should be ringing. You need seven in your league to get an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. Why would a five-team group form its own league without some sort of assurance it will eventually get to that seven-team minimum?
That means something is in the hopper here.
According to a source, the WIAC is expected to target -- get this -- St. Scholastica and St. Norbert as hockey-only members. Issues surrounding financial aid, transfers, and such are at play. These are issues that existed when I was actively covering the league a few years ago, so none of it is really news. Simply put, this looks like a WIAC power play, meant to get control over rules that it sees as beneficial to the private schools in the NCHA.
The WIAC may also seek a footprint in the Milwaukee area, which would potentially mean going after current MCHA members Milwaukee School of Engineering and Concordia, which is based in Mequon. Concordia is in the NCHA for women's hockey, and the WIAC would need to add three non-WIAC schools for women's hockey in order to secure enough teams for an NCAA automatic bid.
There could be impacts on women's hockey, depending on how the WIAC goes after new members to strengthen the league and get enough teams to secure NCAA autobids. That's much less clear at this point.
In a statement from the school, UWS athletic director Steve Nelson made it clear that the door isn't closed on WIAC membership for anyone.
“This was an incredibly difficult decision, as the WIAC schools have had a significant impact on the history of the NCHA. We didn’t just come to this juncture overnight. We put a lot of thought into this decision, making sure we were doing right by our membership and our student-athletes going forward and as a body we felt this was the best decision, to withdraw from the NCHA and compete solely in the WIAC.
... “This league, the NCHA means a lot to me. I coached in this league for a long time and I have a lot of love for the NCHA and the teams that compete here. There have been some tremendous battles over the years and the rivalries that have been developed are among the best in college hockey. At the same time I’m very excited about the future. The WIAC is going to give our schools every opportunity to be a power in NCAA Division III. The door is also open for other schools to apply to be members of the WIAC and make us an even stronger league going forward.”
I don't know what this means in the end, but it's interesting to see one of the traditionally powerful leagues in Division III get blown up for unknown reasons. It sounds vaguely familiar to many of you, I'm sure.
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
(Tuesday) Hockey Notes and Thoughts: I Will Never Besmirch North Dakota Again
It's just another lesson learned, yeah.
In this case, don't do anything that makes it appear you're intentionally (or, for that matter, unintentionally) slighting North Dakota.
Instead of a healthy, intelligent discussion about the picks I made for the All-WCHA teams, I got a rash of comments via Twitter, e-mail, and the blog about how much of a jerk I am and how I must only like UMD players and how I hate North Dakota.
This coming from a guy who picked North Dakota to win the league, called them the team with "easily the fewest holes" of anyone in the WCHA, has consistently blown the horn for Chay Genoway as a great choice for the Hobey Baker and Lowe's Senior CLASS Awards, has defended coach Dave Hakstol on Twitter from attacks by his own team's crazy fans, and predicted on the air in January that Matt Frattin would win WCHA Player of the Year.
Yeah, I hate North Dakota.
My favorite might be the guy who didn't have a problem with me putting Denver's Jason Zucker on my first team, but didn't think Jack Connolly -- fourth in the nation in points per game -- belonged.
But, yeah, I'm the guy who's blind here.
(It should be noted that I appreciate the positive and constructive feedback I got. I always do. And I hope you keep that coming. Quality conversation and healthy debate is good. Stupid personal attacks and anonymous comments are not. And I stand by my picks, even the ones you don't like.)
Moving right along ...
Lots of speculation this week about UMD's NCAA Tournament fate, but it might be all for naught. Twitter (twitter.com/bruceciskie, by the way) follower @blackbear93, who doubles as "Priceless" on the USCHO message board, is one of the better Pairwise experts on that board, to the point that virtually no one questions anything he says about the Pairwise.
He chimed in Monday on Twitter about UMD's situation.
He noted that there is a string of events that could happen that would push UMD out of the tournament if they don't beat St. Cloud State, but it's not likely to happen. Without getting too involved here, that string includes Dartmouth winning the ECAC while Western Michigan also wins the CCHA, which is about as likely as Michigan Tech beating North Dakota. Or something.
I have no reason not to trust his math skills, based on what I know from my time as a regular on that message board, and what I have seen from his posts during the season.
That said, I'd much rather UMD took nothing for granted. I'm just reporting the facts as they are known at this point. That's the best I can do, since the math is way beyond my comprehension.
Hats off to the NCAA Division III Selection Committee. There are major league pitchers who would love to have the ability to throw a curveball the way the committee did Monday, when it selected 16-12-1 UWS for the Division III tournament over 22-4 Castleton.
It's not as cut and dried as the records make it look, as UWS tested itself all season long with one of the nation's toughest schedules, and Castleton toiled with creampuffs in most of their non-league games. The schedule strength mattered in the end, but the selection also allowed the committee to balance things better and limit early-round flights. In Division III, these types of things matter.
UWS has fallen victim to that kind of numbers game before, so it's nice to see Dan Stauber's team benefit this time around. They also benefit from the removal of ice at Hamline's facility in the Twin Cities, as it allows them to host the first-round game Wednesday in Superior, though Hamline will be considered the home team.
In this case, don't do anything that makes it appear you're intentionally (or, for that matter, unintentionally) slighting North Dakota.
Instead of a healthy, intelligent discussion about the picks I made for the All-WCHA teams, I got a rash of comments via Twitter, e-mail, and the blog about how much of a jerk I am and how I must only like UMD players and how I hate North Dakota.
This coming from a guy who picked North Dakota to win the league, called them the team with "easily the fewest holes" of anyone in the WCHA, has consistently blown the horn for Chay Genoway as a great choice for the Hobey Baker and Lowe's Senior CLASS Awards, has defended coach Dave Hakstol on Twitter from attacks by his own team's crazy fans, and predicted on the air in January that Matt Frattin would win WCHA Player of the Year.
Yeah, I hate North Dakota.
My favorite might be the guy who didn't have a problem with me putting Denver's Jason Zucker on my first team, but didn't think Jack Connolly -- fourth in the nation in points per game -- belonged.
But, yeah, I'm the guy who's blind here.
(It should be noted that I appreciate the positive and constructive feedback I got. I always do. And I hope you keep that coming. Quality conversation and healthy debate is good. Stupid personal attacks and anonymous comments are not. And I stand by my picks, even the ones you don't like.)
Moving right along ...
******
Lots of speculation this week about UMD's NCAA Tournament fate, but it might be all for naught. Twitter (twitter.com/bruceciskie, by the way) follower @blackbear93, who doubles as "Priceless" on the USCHO message board, is one of the better Pairwise experts on that board, to the point that virtually no one questions anything he says about the Pairwise.
He chimed in Monday on Twitter about UMD's situation.
Even if they are swept by SCSU this weekend I still have them at 12. Still calculating, but it looks like they're in
He noted that there is a string of events that could happen that would push UMD out of the tournament if they don't beat St. Cloud State, but it's not likely to happen. Without getting too involved here, that string includes Dartmouth winning the ECAC while Western Michigan also wins the CCHA, which is about as likely as Michigan Tech beating North Dakota. Or something.
I have no reason not to trust his math skills, based on what I know from my time as a regular on that message board, and what I have seen from his posts during the season.
That said, I'd much rather UMD took nothing for granted. I'm just reporting the facts as they are known at this point. That's the best I can do, since the math is way beyond my comprehension.
******
Hats off to the NCAA Division III Selection Committee. There are major league pitchers who would love to have the ability to throw a curveball the way the committee did Monday, when it selected 16-12-1 UWS for the Division III tournament over 22-4 Castleton.
It's not as cut and dried as the records make it look, as UWS tested itself all season long with one of the nation's toughest schedules, and Castleton toiled with creampuffs in most of their non-league games. The schedule strength mattered in the end, but the selection also allowed the committee to balance things better and limit early-round flights. In Division III, these types of things matter.
UWS has fallen victim to that kind of numbers game before, so it's nice to see Dan Stauber's team benefit this time around. They also benefit from the removal of ice at Hamline's facility in the Twin Cities, as it allows them to host the first-round game Wednesday in Superior, though Hamline will be considered the home team.
Sunday, March 08, 2009
UMD WOMEN, UWS/CSS MEN MAKE NCAAs
The UMD women's hockey team is in the eight-team NCAA Tournament. They open defense of their 2008 NCAA Championship Saturday at fourth-seed New Hampshire.The winner advances to the Frozen Four in Boston March 20 and 22.
The full NCAA Division I Women's Championship bracket can be found here.
Meanwhile, UWS and St. Scholastica have both received at-large bids to the NCAA Division III Men's Championship, according to information I have received. The full bracket has not been announced, but it's expected that both teams will be in quarterfinal play Saturday. The best guess I can muster is that UWS will be seeded first in the West and host MIAC champion Gustavus Adolphus, while St. Scholastica will get the third seed and travel to NCHA playoff champion UW-Stout.
The NCAA Division III Men's Frozen Four is March 21 and 22 in Lake Placid, New York.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
PLAYOFFS ARE COMING
It's amazing what happens when you don't have a "real" job.
I was sitting on my couch last night, watching the St. Scholastica-UWS game on iFan.
(Would have been at the game, but the boy had minor surgery Friday and the Mrs. was out of town, so I had to pretend to be a parent for a night.)
Even though it was a few seconds behind, I listened to the webcast from ESPN Radio 560, even though it's Scholastica's station. Steve Jezierski and Mark Marette do an entertaining broadcast, and Steve's always been one of the better play-by-play guys we have around here.
As I'm sitting there taking the game in (UWS won 4-3 in a highly-entertaining game), it hits me.
The playoffs are coming.
It's not that I haven't been paying attention. It's more that I haven't really been paying that kind of attention. When you're on the air every day, you're much more cognizant of what's coming up in one, two, or even three weeks. When you're just being a fan, those things don't stick in your head as much.
High school girls hockey playoffs are underway. Their state tournament is coming up at the end of February at the XCel Energy Center (gah!).
UWS and St. Scholastica are preparing for the NCHA playoffs, which begin next weekend. UWS knows they will host Lake Forest, the last-place team in the NCHA. The Yellowjackets (20-2-3, 11-1-2 NCHA) won the league title. Lake Forest (5-17-2, 0-12-1) needs to beat St. Norbert Saturday night to avoid a winless conference season.
St. Scholastica (18-5-2, 9-4-1) hasn't played a home playoff series at any point I can remember. They host either UW-River Falls or UW-Eau Claire next weekend.
Both teams are almost sure bets to make the NCAA Division III Tournament. With UMD in a good position in Division I (but with a ton of hockey to go before that tournament selection), it's been a wonderful year for local college hockey.
Oh, and the high school boys start their road to St. Paul next weekend.
For those who support local sports, it's the most wonderful time of the year. There are games all over the place, admission is affordable, and the action is top-notch.
It's good to be a fan sometimes.
I was sitting on my couch last night, watching the St. Scholastica-UWS game on iFan.
(Would have been at the game, but the boy had minor surgery Friday and the Mrs. was out of town, so I had to pretend to be a parent for a night.)
Even though it was a few seconds behind, I listened to the webcast from ESPN Radio 560, even though it's Scholastica's station. Steve Jezierski and Mark Marette do an entertaining broadcast, and Steve's always been one of the better play-by-play guys we have around here.
As I'm sitting there taking the game in (UWS won 4-3 in a highly-entertaining game), it hits me.
The playoffs are coming.
It's not that I haven't been paying attention. It's more that I haven't really been paying that kind of attention. When you're on the air every day, you're much more cognizant of what's coming up in one, two, or even three weeks. When you're just being a fan, those things don't stick in your head as much.
High school girls hockey playoffs are underway. Their state tournament is coming up at the end of February at the XCel Energy Center (gah!).
UWS and St. Scholastica are preparing for the NCHA playoffs, which begin next weekend. UWS knows they will host Lake Forest, the last-place team in the NCHA. The Yellowjackets (20-2-3, 11-1-2 NCHA) won the league title. Lake Forest (5-17-2, 0-12-1) needs to beat St. Norbert Saturday night to avoid a winless conference season.
St. Scholastica (18-5-2, 9-4-1) hasn't played a home playoff series at any point I can remember. They host either UW-River Falls or UW-Eau Claire next weekend.
Both teams are almost sure bets to make the NCAA Division III Tournament. With UMD in a good position in Division I (but with a ton of hockey to go before that tournament selection), it's been a wonderful year for local college hockey.
Oh, and the high school boys start their road to St. Paul next weekend.
For those who support local sports, it's the most wonderful time of the year. There are games all over the place, admission is affordable, and the action is top-notch.
It's good to be a fan sometimes.
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