>With the recent influx of new teams into both the WCHA and CCHA the past few
>years, I have been wondering........(without opening up too big a can of worms)
>how league affiliations are determined when a new school seeks a membership.
**=========Snip! Slash! Carve!===========**
In the case of UAF, UAA, and Notre Dame, much of the impetus for conference
affiliation came from the Good Ol' Boys at the NCAA. In their usual great
wisdom, they decided that they would eliminate the traditional slot in the
NCAA playoffs which had been reserved for Division I independent programs.
Since you now needed to be in a conference to have a shot at post-season
play, all three teams elected to pursue league affiliations. The ND/CCHA
match was a natural, on the basis of geography and traditional rivalries in
other sports with teams like UM, MSU, and OSU.
 
As far as UAA and UAF, there was a rather delicate ballet in which the
teams sent out vibes as to their hopes, and the conferences (CCHA and WCHA)
sent out vibes as to their abilities and desires to expand. Once the vibes
had been adequately interpreted and everybody knew where everybody stood,
the schools made application to the conference which had expressed
willingness, desire, or a duty to accept that application. After a variable
period of affiliate membership (talk about dancing with your sister!), the
final deals were done.
 
The appropriateness of the league alignments is for others to decide. There
is, obviously, much precedent for realignment, if that's what parties
decide to do.
 
--Jeff Partnow ([log in to unmask])
--Fairbanks, where UAF begins full membership in the CCHA in '95-'96
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.