After reading some references to Mankato State moving to Division I, I
sent an e-mail to Paul Allen, the sports information director. This is the
reply I just received.
 
>Lynn:
>Here's the (Reader's Digest condensed version) scoop on our hockey situation.
>        In 1992, following the city of Mankato's decision to build a new
>civic center (repleat with a 5,000-seat hockey facility), we announced our
>intention to elevate our hockey program to NCAA Division I.  That was in
>November.  In January of that year, the state university system (we're in a
>system that includes St. Cloud State, Bemidji State, Winona State, etc.)
>informed us that we could not do it.  Other than to say there was enormous
>amount of confusion as to why they would not allow us to do it (gender
>equity, economical, axes to grind, etc.), the actual reason has been
>speculative.
>    We were a NCAA Division III team at the time, but because of NCAA
>legislation we have been relegated to NCAA Division II - Independent
>status.  Since then the facility has been built and we began playing in it
>late last season. The facility, by the way, is awesome!  The only one in
>the WCHA that is indisputably better is Mariucci at the U of M.
>   In the meantime a group of Mankato businessmen have worked to have the
>Division I question raised again.  This past summer they announced a plan
>to fundraise private dollars to support a Division I program and in less
>than three months they raised more than a quarter of a million dollars (a
>year) towards that end.  At this point the ball (puck) appears to be in our
>court.  The state university system has been dissolved and a new state
>education governing structure is in place.  This week appears to be a
>crucial one in the movement because of the "meet and confer" process that
>must take place on campus before the University administration renders
>their decision.  The same questions that people had in 1992 have resurfaced
>(is there enough money for all of the 20 athletic programs at MSU, how do
>you elevate a men's program to Division I without doing the same with a
>women's program, will you have to cut sports, what happens if the private
>revenue dries up).
>    Anyways, best case scenario would have us playing as a NCAA Division I
>independent by next year (1996-97) and in the WCHA by the start of the
>1997-98 season. At this point I would say the proponents of the movement
>are cautiously optimistic that it will happen.  Because of what happened in
>1992, everyone's reaction seems to be kind of conservative.
>        Hope that answers your question!
>
     So, folks in Minnesota might check the papers to see if there is any news
about the situation.
 
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+                     Lynn Burke - Newport News, Va.                        +
+                     - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -                         +
+ ``When the seagull follows the trawler, it is because it expects sardines +
+      to be thrown into the sea'' -- Eric Cantona                          +
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