The Notre Dame hockey program is a Division I independent hockey team
The program began in 1968 when Lefty Smith came to South Bend from
So. St. Paul Minnesota.  Throughout the 70's the team competed in
the WCHA.  It was a fully funded program and competed reasonably
well during that period.  The highlight years were 72-73 and 76-77
when the team finished second in the WCHA. Those were the years when
tickets were hard to come by and the Hoosiers in the area talked
about hockey almost as much as they always speak about basketball
and football.  In 1981 the team joined the CCHA to cut down on
travel expenses. It compete there until 1983 when the program was
dropped to a club status.  Three reasons for that decision 1) Attend-
ance had dropped off considerably 2) N.D. football was not very good
at the time which effected revenue to the athletic department (i.e.
fewer T.V. games, bowl games etc. 3) Title IX was coming into its
own which demanded mored dollars to their programs 4) the administra-
tion simply did not know much, or care much about the hockey program.
In 1987 the team experienced some success on the ice and at the
box office (27-4-2) against a marginal schedule. It was enough, h
however, to re-vitalize interest in the sport.  Since that time the
team has awarded 2.5, then 5, and now 8 scholarships.  Next year
the team will have a total of ten scholarships.  Enough to make a b
the team will have a total of ten scholarships.  Enough to make a
better team but not enough to compete against teams that had twenty
scholarships. We play a mixed Division I and III schedule.  For
example, Minnesota, Fairbanks, Boston College, Lake Forest,
Mercyhurst, Kent State, Ferris State, New Hampshire, Princeton,
Army, Air Force, Wisconsin Stevens Point. There are some good things
about to happen (we all hope) due to the recent NCAA rulings.  With
the reduction of games, we will be hard pressed to come up with
a competitive schedule.  On Monday, we will be discussing the
pro's and con's of the CCHA.  As I see it, there are many more Pro's
than Con's.  It would be a great league for us. Travel would be
minimal, we could split weekend series home and away, great teams,
national
television on PASS.  The list goes on and on.  If we have a major
television on PASS.  The list goes on and on.  If we have good newsbreakthrou
to report I will follow up through this network.  Until then, GO
IRISH!!