On Mon, 25 Sep 1995, Patrick Bracco responded to my posting:
 
> However, (ACHA) club hockey has its place in the world of college hockey,
> and I find attempts to equate it to NCAA hockey (especially without any
> proof that they are comparable (such as scores) an insult to my
> intelligence.
 
 
* 1995: Mercyhurst (the No.1-ranked NCAA Division II team) 5,
Penn State 4 ... in overtime.
 
* 1994: Lake Forest College (NCAA Division III) 8, Illinois-Champaign 9.
 
* Two years ago, North Dakota State almost did not qualify for the ACHA's
national tournament because they didn't play enough ACHA opponents.
Their schedule was chock full of NJCAA and NCAA teams.
 
* How many times in the last five years have teams like Iowa State (ACHA)
and Wisconsin-Stout been ranked in the NCAA Division III polls? (Often.)
 
* Illinois-Champaign (ACHA) will play Illinois-Chicago (NCAA Division I)
this October.
 
     These are just a few of the instances I can think of off the top of my
head.  All of the top ACHA teams DO regularly play NCAA opponents.  It's a
fact.  Furthermore, the ACHA requires its teams to comply with NCAA
eligibility rules.  If you can document a case in which this did not
occur, perhaps you should report it to the ACHA!
     I never intended to say that ACHA teams are eqivalent to top NCAA
teams like Michigan and Maine.  This whole thing started when I said
(more or less), "The ACHA deserves recognition as a viable and
competitive alternative."  Nonetheless, I can think of many NCAA teams
that would envy what the ACHA has to offer.
     I hope your intelligence no longer feels insulted...
 
Terry Kasdan
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http://students.uiuc.edu/~t-kasdan
 
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