San Jose State seems to be interested in elevating its club hockey
program.  Between periods of a Sharks game the station carried a short
feature on the hockey program at SJSU.  In an interview with the coach
he said that they were looking to upgrade the program.  They have been
playing club hockey for only a few years, but have been successful at
that level.  He may have meant that SJSU would be scheduling the
stronger West Coast club teams, but I got the strong feeling that he
saw even an even bigger goal (no pun!).  I don't think varsity hockey
would succeed on the West Coast unless several of the PAC-10 and
schools such as SJSU all fielded teams, otherwise the travel costs
would be a killer (I don't know how Alabama-Huntsville keeps its
program going!).  Maybe he knows something we don't.
 
I saw them play once last year.  They could compete with the weaker Div
III teams, and that is with only walk-ons and no local pool of HS
players to attract.
 
-John Hughes