First, one question off topic: has anyone heard anything more on RPI to HE? I had heard that a decision was due by the end of April...now it is June. Just wondering. For the record, it is true that an exemption is allowed for teams who play in the preseason NIT hoop tourney, both men's and women's. This is a once-in-four-years exemption, and only one team from a conference is allowed to take part. The NC$$ manual specifies the format of the tourney (16 teams, single elim, only one consolation game) and the dates between which it must be played (Nov 15-30). If such a tourney were to become popular in hockey, I would think that it would be necessary to get the NC$$ to approve an exemption for it like with basketball. That may not be such an easy thing to do. Also, hockey is sort of backed up against the wall as it is - if you add in the game weeks, weeks off, etc., teams pretty much have their schedules filled. BTW, the exemption for the Great Alaska Shootout in hoop is once every 12 years. And you cannot travel to Alaska/Hawaii and exempt as many games as you wish...that too is limited though I forget what the limitation is. Hockey has the edge in that area. I believe some teams have played as many as 5 games in Alaska in the past (i.e. MTU 93-94 with 3 in the Great Alaska Face-Off and 2 WCHA games at UAA). --- --- Mike Machnik [log in to unmask] Cabletron Systems, Inc. *HMM* 11/13/93 >>>>>> Dean Borrelli (C, Tacoma, AAA) .348, 31-for-89, 3 HR, 15 RBI <<<<<<