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| (Updated 9:23am, 09-23-11) Deadline extended to Oct. 7 for BGSU hockey decision |
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| Written by Kevin Gordon Sentinel Assistant Sports Editor |
| Thursday, 22 September 2011 16:37 |
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Bowling Green's deadline for deciding on whether it will join the Western Collegiate Hockey Association has been extended. The school will have two extra weeks, until Oct. 7, to make its decision, BG athletics director Greg Christopher said Thursday. BG's original deadline was today. BG was one of five Central Collegiate Hockey Association schools invited to join the WCHA on Aug. 25, effective with the 2013-14 season. Alaska (Fairbanks), Ferris State and Lake Superior already have accepted the WCHA's invitation, while Western Michigan turned down the invitation to join the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. Western announced its decision Thursday. Northern Michigan had previously announced it was leaving the CCHA for the WCHA. Also Thursday, St. Cloud announced it was leaving the WCHA for the NCHC. Reports of Western and St. Cloud going to the NCHC first became public Tuesday. The WCHA currently has eight schools for the 2013-14 season when all of college hockey's realignment takes effect. The others are Alaska-Anchorage, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech and Minnesota State (Mankato). "We continue to assess our options for hockey conference affiliation and expect to wrap up details within the next couple of weeks," Christopher said in a statement. "Our dialogue with other schools and the WCHA is ongoing. We appreciate the WCHA's patience as we work through internal and external conversations. "With the movement this week, the dynamic has changed. This is an important decision for BGSU and we owe it to our program and institution to do our due diligence." The extension further fueled speculation Atlantic Hockey members Canisius, Mercyhurst, Niagara and Robert Morris are being considered for WCHA membership. Those four schools have expressed an interest in leaving their present league because it offers only 12 scholarships, six below the NCAA maximum. The CCHA and the WCHA use the NCAA maximum. Adding those four schools would help balance the revamped WCHA geographically. If BG and the four Atlantic Hockey schools joined the WCHA, the league would have 13 schools - six in the south/east; and seven in the north/west. And it's not out of the question that Air Force, also a member of Atlantic Hockey, might consider a move to the WCHA. Christopher initially said in late August that BG is "tracking towards" WCHA membership. "That's a good option for Bowling Green," Christopher said earlier this month about the WCHA. "The question is can we make it better and that's some of the conversations we're having behind the scenes with those schools now. Ultimately, how big would that league look and (what would) the configuration of that league (look like)?" Independent Alabama-Huntsville also is looking to join a league, but the Chargers haven't been mentioned in any of college hockey's vast rumor mills about being a candidate for membership in the WCHA. The Chargers are facing an uncertain future without league affiliation and the program is trying to raise money to ensure its long-term future. |
| Last Updated on Friday, 23 September 2011 09:24 |
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Comments
1. BG is paired with ND for either Hockey East or NCHC.
2. The Continental League is in the process of being formed.
No other collegiate conference consists of as many teams from as many states or covers as much territory of the North American continent than does this new continental league.
Two divisions consisting of teams playing hockey at the northern and southern most points on the continent and representing nearly every region of the US.
No other hockey conference comes close to matching the geographic reach of this new league.
Welcome to the new CCHA.
I still think the extension has been granted because of BG,4AHA,and UAH.
Also Bemdji and Mankato might be going to the NCHC.
So the WHCA might end up being 12 teams again in 2013-2014.
The league will be made up teams that will play in places where teams dont want to play.
What kid wouldnt want to play in the UP or Alaska. Good recruiting grounds for old canada players.
FORGET THE WCHA! IT'S OVER & DONE WITH. IT'S HISTORY.
The only two remaining WCHA teams are Alaska and Michigan Tech! There are more CCHA teams joining than the WCHA has left!
The CCHA holds all the cards and power.
The CCHA should allow the remains of the old WCHA to join the CCHA while bringing in the 4 Atlantic teams and Alabama.
... oh, and bring the McNaughton Cup with you. I liked it when BG won it back in the 80's. It's a beautiful trophy and a fitting addition to the expended CCHA.
West Division:
AK Fairbanks
AK Anchorage
Michigan Tech
North Mich
Lake Superior
Ferris
East Division:
BG
Alabama
Niagara
Mercyhurst
Robert Morris
Canisius
The CCHA has far more potential for growth in the years ahead given the much larger number of colleges and universities playing hockey in the midwest compared to the western states.
And that maybe the CCHA commissioner will point out to the CCHA teams that just accepted the WCHA's offer that any agreement signed is null and void given the loss of St. Cloud and possibly future defections from that league.
In other words, the WCHA is not the league that was sold to Ferris, Lake State, N. Mich and Mich Tech.
The shoe is now on the other foot. The "new" CCHA should extend an offer to the few remaining WCHA teams to join an stronger CCHA, if for no other reason than to insure the very survival of the last few WCHA hockey programs.
This is going to be fight for the purity of sport, not just hockey.
The WCHA lost everything once St Cloud left for the NCHC and rumors swirl around Bemidji and Mankato leaving for the NCHC as well. The WCHA no longer exists. Whatever future there is for the last one or two teams in that league lies in becoming a member of the CCHA.
Likely final* CCHA membership:
AK Fairbanks
AK Anchorage
Michigan Tech
North Mich
Lake Superior
Ferris
Alabama
Niagara
Mercyhurst
Robert Morris
Canisius
* Final as of 16:20 EST, Friday, Sept. 23, 2011
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