Tim Newman (that's Dr Tim to you) writes:
>Could the D-II teams form two mini-leagues or conferences (are some
>of the teams already in the Northeast-10 for hockey?), and have either
>conference
>championships and/or a Challenge Series between the winner of each
>conference?  Maybe Alabama-Huntsville could host it ...
 
Well, the Northeast-10 schools do not have their own conference for
hockey yet, as they do in other sports.  Those schools are split
amongst the ECAC small school divisions, such as the ECAC East and
Central.
 
Some of the other schools that are currently DivII also play in
ECAC conferences - NH College, Sacred Heart, Mercyhurst, etc.
 
It wouldn't surprise me to see those schools opt to remain in those
conferences and not declare up for DivI.  Most are not of that caliber
and they do have a title they can compete for at the end of the
season, even if it won't be an NC$$ title.
 
That leaves us with schools like Alabama-Huntsville, which are full
independents and won't have any title to compete for as things stand.
 
Barring some type of organized attempt by the teams that will be DivI
to form a new conference and qualify for the DivI tourney, I could see
the following taking place.  Several years ago when UAH was in DivI
and UAA/UAF were still independents, those schools hosted what
amounted to a rotating Independent championship at the end of the
season.  It was just a 4 team "tourney" that tended to involve the
four top Independents from that season.
 
UAH could declare up again and try to host such a tourney.  However,
unless there is an organized conference that could make this their
championship, I believe any such games would need to be counted
towards the teams' NC$$ limits (unlike, say, the CCHA tourney).  That
means teams would have to plan ahead for the possibility that they
might appear in the tourney.
 
>I think the D-II schools could continue to play hockey even if they have
>no national championship.  Some Division I hockey conferences were effectively
>locked out of the national championship for a while, and yet most of
>the schools continued to play hockey (e.g., CCHA in early 70s).
 
Right, and that's why I could see a fifth conference following a
similar path and eventually gaining acceptance.  It would take a lot,
including an increased commitment to DivI.  But that's exactly the
situation the CCHA faced in its infancy 20+ years ago.
 
I don't want to start any rumors because there is absolutely no reason
to believe what I'm about to say will happen.  But since Merrimack has
strong ties to 7 of the DivII teams who are facing a decision, I have
wondered if someday, should Merrimack find the going too rough in HE,
maybe the school would spearhead a move by the other NE-10 schools to
join it in a new DivI conference of their own.  However, there is a
huge difference between the other NE-10 hockey playing schools and
Merrimack right now.  Merrimack's future in HE looks bright, especially
if the new rink rumors come true.  Joining the NE-10 schools in a new
conference would be a step backwards right now.
 
For the current Independents and DivII teams, I like the idea of an
umbrella like conference that would enable many of those schools to
remain in their current conferences while also competing for a DivI
bid by having an organized schedule against other teams in their
situation.  This should also involve schools like UAH, Army, and maybe
even USAFA or other Western schools.  It's going to take a lot of work
by the principals involved to make it happen, but it sounds like it is
being at least considered.
---                                                                   ---
Mike Machnik                                            [log in to unmask]
Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                    *HMM* 11/13/93
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