I have to weigh in on this.
 
The Intercollegiate Hockey Alliance (IHA) will be in the same boat next year
that the MAAC is in this year.  Those teams in the IHA (Ala-Huntsville,
Bemidji St., Army, Air Force, Niagara and Findlay) have said they will not
ask the NCAA for a bid nor do they expect one in the near future.  These
teams realize that they need to establish themselves and prove they can play
with the big boys.  Being a Bemidji State fan, I would love to see an
automatic berth to play for, but I don't want to see the tourney watered
down like the basketball tourney is.
 
Visit the Beaver Pond, the unofficial web site for BSU Hockey at:
            http://customer.wcta.net/bsuhky
 
Troy Mills
Bemidji State University ('96)
NAIA Hockey Champs:  '68, '69, 70, '71, '73, '79, '80
NCAA D-III Hockey Champs:  '86
NCAA D-II Hockey Champs:  '84, '93, '94, '95, '97
NCAA D-I Hockey Champs:  20??
Runner-ups:  '74, '78, '82, '83, '85, '96, '98
National Participants:  '76, '77, '81, '87, '88, '89
 
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