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 uws. Show all posts
Showing posts with label uws. 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.
HOCKEY HOCKEY HOCKEY
There's enough hockey going on to keep even a diehard hockey fan happy and busy.Let's take a whirl around this great sport.
College men's hockey
UMD--> Can't hide the truth, can we? Not only was the weekend series against Alaska-Anchorage not what anyone expected or hoped for, it reminded us way too much of last year's UMD team.
There's a good reason why this is Alaska-Anchorage's first road sweep since November 10-11, 2000. It's just been a perpetual struggle for the Seawolves to find their legs when they make one of their insanely long road trips that they make every year. It's also a program that's been known for their disastrous meltdowns in the second half of every season.
Now, instead of the home series they could have had to open the WCHA playoffs, UMD is traveling, and it just so happens to be to Colorado Springs. These are tough roadies to make in the playoffs, because they involve the short-notice booking of a flight for a traveling party of approximately 30 people.
I saw Jeff Papas at the DECC Saturday night, and I told the radio voice of the Bulldogs to make sure he has a lot to read on this trip (I'm way late to the party, but if you're a baseball guy, I recommend David Halberstam's Summer of '49). There's a good chance they will have to leave a day earlier than normal (Wednesday instead of Thursday), and unlike most hotels on the civilized Earth, internet at the hotel in Colorado Springs is not free. Spend three or four nights there, and it can get quite pricey to be plugged in to the superhighway.
Anyway, on to things you care about ...
The boys need to find a way to put the last three games behind them. Ties in Houghton and Minneapolis are hardly shameful, but the way they lost the games to Minnesota (5-3) and Anchorage (5-4 and 4-3) just stinks, and it may be tough to recover from.
They have no choice.
UMD has slipped to 18th in the Pairwise Rankings, which mimic the process used to select teams for the NCAA Tournament. A spot anywhere higher than 15th is usually a good place to be, and 18th will leave UMD on the outside looking in.
Of course, a series win in the Springs would be a great help to UMD's position. Here's hoping that an 0-3-2 string to end the regular season wasn't a sign of things to come, as it's been in the past.
(The Mr. Pessimist in me can't help but remember the 2004-2005 season, when UMD went crazy late in the season, trying to recover from an early losing streak and poor performances in second-half home series against Alaska-Anchorage and Michigan Tech. That Bulldog team fell short of home ice in the WCHA playoffs, and got absolutely whacked in a two-game series at North Dakota. This is not the type of history to repeat.)
UWS
While the NCHA Peters Cup Championship went to UW-Stout Saturday in Superior, the Yellowjackets should still get the top seed among Western teams selected for the NCAA Division III Championship. The pairings are due out Sunday night.
UWS is in a great position, thanks to a balanced attack and experienced goalie Chad Beiswenger, who reminds this observer of St. Norbert's Kyle Jones. You may remember Jones practically carrying the Green Knights to a national title a year ago, pitching back-to-back shutouts at the Frozen Four in Lake Placid. Well, Beiswenger has that kind of talent, and he's had that kind of season.
It's an absolute certainty that UWS will be in the field, a near certainty that they'll host a quarterfinal game Saturday at Wessman Arena, and they're in the best position yet to take home their second title.
St. Scholastica
There may be some bullets coming out of Mark Wick's forehead as I type this on Sunday evening. The Saints are on the bubble to make the NCAA Tournament, and I wish I could reassure them.
There have been too many head-scratching decisions by the selection committee over the years, and while I find it illogical that CSS wouldn't make the tournament, I can't guarantee they will.
I can say UWS will make it because you might as well shut the tournament down forever if the Yellowjackets aren't in.
Scholastica presents a tough out in the tourney (assuming they make it), thanks to a senior class second-to-few in Division III. Goalie Steve Bounds keeps them in every game, which is always nice to have in the postseason. Goals, as you know, can be hard to come by in the playoffs.
College women's hockey
UMD/UWS
Both teams lost in their conference tournament semifinals. UMD is likely to make the NCAAs, while UWS is a longshot.
The problem for UMD is that they are clearly inferior to WCHA champion Wisconsin, and they are probably not as good as Minnesota, either.
The problem for the rest of the country is that nobody is likely as good as any of the above three.
UWS made the Frozen Four a year ago, but appear to have ended their season.
High school hockey
The state tournament begins with Class A games Wednesday at XCel Energy Center. Virginia/MIB represents the north, and they draw top seed Little Falls for a quarterfinal game Wednesday at 6pm.
I like this VMIB team, led by Chris Westin and Garrett Hendrickson, but Ben Hanowski and the Flyers are probably too tough. Will Lustig, the Blue Devils' goalie, holds the key. If he can slow down the unbeaten Flyers' attack, he gives his team a chance to win. If VMIB tries to match firepower with Little Falls, it could turn into a long night.
AA games start Thursday in St. Paul. Duluth East, the Section 7 champion, drew the fourth seed and will play Cretin-Derham Hall in the quarterfinals. The Greyhounds are very impressive, led by UMD recruit Max Tardy and North Dakota recruit Derek Forbort. They are clearly the 'Hounds two best players, and they were easily the two best on the ice in the section final Thursday, as East dismantled Elk River 4-1 (outshot them 42-10).
I think Duluth East has a puncher's chance at a state title, and the potential semifinal matchup with Edina Friday could be one of the best games in a long time at the state tournament.
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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