Lynn Burke <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>        There has been some talk about Mankato possibly moving to
>Division I. The school's latest press release  lists a tentative 32-game
>schedule for next year that indicates no movement yet.
 
-----
When he was in FBKS about 10 days ago, Mankato State Coach Don Brose spoke
about the many problems the team has had in their attempts to go Division
I. Initially, political considerations in Minn. shot them down, apparently
at the last moment. A good recruiting class, predicated on the D I move,
left school for other opptys, and the program suffered.
 
More recently, the Minn economy has made the legislature and Board of
Regents leary of expansion. Currently, they're dealing with gender-equity
issues.
 
They have a terrific new arena (Olympic sheet!), a well-supported program,
and they're still hoping ultimately to make the transition. Should this
finally happen, they'd be a natural fit in the WCHA, where one-time rival
St Cloud State lives. Whether or not this would result in realignment of
the WCHA (and maybe CCHA, too) remains to be seen. But a Far Western
Division, including CC, DU, N Dak, UAF, UAA, some of the Minn schools, and
possibly some other new programs (N Dak State?, Weber State?, Disney-fired
California schools?, UNLV?) would be a natural.
 
--Jeff Partnow
--Fairbanks, where the Nanooks will be proud to welcome the whole CCHA, and
especially Mr. Mason and Michigan State, starting in 1995-96.