-- [ From: Adam Wodon * EMC.Ver #2.10P ] --
 
I apologize if this isn't NEWS in the classic sense, but I was at the
Penn St.-Villanova game tonight (a 7-1 win by PSU).  It was the renewal
of a rivalry that ended five years ago because 'Nova didn't want to
play a club team. Through a lot of work from the people in the suburban
Philly area, especially from the man who runs the local rink whose son,
Mike Pietrangelo, plays for PSU, everything finally happened.
 
Anyway - I asked PSU coach Jim Battista about the prospects of ever
moving to Division I NCAA level.
  I talked at length about the same topic with new Villanova head coach
Todd Sharinn (1987 BU grad - never heard of him - does anyone remember
him?).
 
  The bottom line is - it's gender equity/Title IX that is stopping
these programs from becoming D-I, a lot moreso than the money.  Maybe
that's not true for a smaller school, but the big schools could support
D-I hockey - but they'd have to support another women's sport as well.
   Schools like 'Nova and PSU could probably draw good crowds and at
least break even.
   In PSU's case, Battista said they have an on-campus rink, they don't
have to pay to use any facilities, and he's a salaried employee.
Further, they have 22 sponsorships, including NIKE (thanks Joe Paterno)
and fill a 1,500 seat arena.  Battista thinks they could draw 3,000
easily.
    He said, if he had his druthers, he would be in a Division I-
independent conference with UCONN, Army, Niagara, etc...  However, not
only would everyone have to agree, but he says that Penn State's
administration, giddy over the Big 10 move, wants to be in a major
conference or nothing, if it would ever happen at all.
 
    'Nova, while it doesn't have an on-campus rink, also believes it
could draw to support a D-I program. Sharinn said Pennsylvania is a
goldmine waiting to happen, and dreams about the day 'Nova and Penn
State could host Pennsylvania's version of the Beanpot.  He also says
it's all Title IX.
 
    I don't say this to berate the concept of gender equity. I just
offer this as news (if it even is). Personally, I don't know how I feel
about Title IX.  The basic concept is 100% good, but I flip-flop on the
details. It appears, however, that it is unquestionably, for the bigger
schools, what is holding back the expansion of D-I hockey.
 
  Please correct me if you think that's wrong, or tell me if this is
just old news.
 
  AW
 
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