Am I correct in assuming that Niagara will be fielding one of those
"Division I but not at the top level like HE/ECAC/CCHA/WCHA" teams?  I
am constantly confused by the fact that there are several (many?) teams
that are considered Division I or II but play in what are substantially
Division III leagues.  I know that ECAC West has Canisius (not sure what
division), Mercyhurst (Div. II), and others, and ECAC East has some teams
that are "Division I" due to their other NCAA programs but play in the
same league with other Division III teams (UConn and Holy Cross and ...?)
Then we have the ACHA club teams that are Division I and Division II ....
 
I am always a bit surprised that a hockey area like Buffalo/Niagara Falls
has not developed a big-time Division I ECAC program.  Is it because the
distance to the other ECAC schools is so great, or that there is a relative
lack of high school talent in the area to recruit (hard to believe, given
the proximity to Ontario)?  Between Canisius, RIT, Fredonia, and Mercyhurst,
the Western NY/PA area certainly has had some good teams lately, though I
believe much of the talent is supplied by Canadian recruits.
 
Stephen E Roth <[log in to unmask]> said (quoting):
 
>Niagara, which already has a club hockey team, will field a Division
>I hockey program for men in the fall of 1996.  A women's team is
>expected to begin to compete at the club level in the fall of 1996
>before entering Division I in 1997.  The men's team will play in the
>ECAC/West and the women will play as independents.
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Rick McAdoo                                  [log in to unmask]
BC will return!                              GO EAGLES!