Since HockeyEast's announcement that a Women's HockeyLeast (hnnnnnn East)
will start the fall of 2002 or 2003, the big question remains will HE try
to mirror the Men's league or go for a broader outlook.

ECAC DI EAST features:
Boston College                                  Connecticut
Maine                                           Niagara
New Hampshire                                           Quinnipiac
Northeastern
Providence College

BU is amazing indicating it will elevate its club side to DI varsity when
its new rink is finished (perhaps a precondition?).  However the rink is
due to open in 2004-5.

UMass-Lowell and Merrimack both are thinking about it, but I don't sense
anything soon.

Meanwhile UMass-Amherst is pretty much a no go, for "fiscal reasons".

I don't know what HE people think, but it seems to me they have a fine 8
team league to start with in the ECAC East.  If the other 4 ever did add
they would have a 12 team league, which always seems to work out nice for
scheduling.

Plus, Niagara Women are doing very well within ECAC East and UConn is a
team to keep your eyes on for the future.  UConn upset UNH in New Hampshire
last weekend, and they appear to be developing quickly.  Hey the coach is
Heather Linstad - what do you expect?

Anyone have any inside information suggesting other HE options/directions?

Meanwhile over in ECAC-land:
ECAC DI NORTH
Brown                                           Colgate
Cornell                                         Dartmouth
Harvard                                         Princeton
St. Lawrence                                    Vermont
Yale

The ECAC already has 9 of its 12 teams in the Men's league in the ECAC
North league.  Colgate is showing some early promise within the league.

Union College plans to have a DI Women's varsity side starting in
2003-2004.

Clarkson and RPI are both thinking about it, but I'd say we are a few years
off, at least, for both.

Which brings us to Sacred Heart and Holy Cross.  Both have DIII Women's
teams, and seem to be dancing around the idea for going DI.

Anybody heard anything more firm from those 4?




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    good shooting
    rhun
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Women's College Ice Hockey from rhun:  http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~cwinters

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