When the new 12-team ECAC women's league, set to begin play in 1993-94, was
announced recently, I believe it was Craig Cheslog who asked why the other
three women's programs were not included.  To recap, there were nine DivI
programs and six DivIII programs.  Of the six, Colby, RIT and SLU agreed to
join the nine DivI programs in the ECAC league.  The Boston Globe reported
Sunday that Bowdoin, Middlebury and Wesleyan "turned down the opportunity
for various reasons, including tight budgets.  They will play as
independents."
 
Joe Bertagna, executive director of ECAC hockey, was quoted as saying that
the recent court decision involving Colgate's women's program had nothing
to do with the decision to create the ECAC women's league - "We were
looking into this well before that."
 
Note that the three DivI programs that had offered scholarships -
Providence, Northeastern and UNH - have discontinued this and it is hoped
this will bring more parity to Eastern women's hockey.
---
Mike Machnik    [log in to unmask]   Color Voice of the Merrimack Warriors
(Any opinions expressed above are strictly those of the poster.)    *HMN*