I know we have gotten into this ACHA-NCAA thread before and it is probably not worth it to continue to beat it to death, but let me throw in my two cents from the 60s. As I have said, and I think Ralph Baer and Bob Stagat will concur, East Div I hockey in the early 60s was clearly several notches below the west, where all the powerhouses were (look at the NCAAs). I graduated from RPI in '64 and they have great success those 4 yrs. Then starting grad school at the U of Ill (Champaign-Urbana) immediately, I was pleased to note they had a club hockey team and a rink. My impressions at that time was that the Illinois club team, while fun to watch, would lose to the worst Div I team by at least 10 goals, and probably 30 to the NCAA champs. Now probably things have changed a bit as the talent pool has gotten larger, I am sure club hockey quality has risen relative to the NCAA varsity teams. Actually the 9-2 score (UIC over UI) surprised me, I thought for sure it would be at least 15 goals. But as they say, the proof is in the pudding. I amsure the club teams win a small percentage vs the Div III teams, but I suspect would win very few if they played Div I teams regularly. I don't think UIC will be in the top 10 teams this year and they still clobbered the UI club team, which I guess is one of the better club teams around. On the topic below, =============================== On Thu, 19 Oct 1995, Trevor D. Barnes wrote: > Secondly, why doesn't Illinois-Champaign field a Div. I team? Their web > pages indicate that they normally sell out their arena for their games so > it seems like the interest is there in the community. Also, other Big > Ten schools have been extremely successful in Div. I hockey. There have > been numerous national champions among Big Ten teams. So why don't the > Illini take the next step up? ================================ all I can say is that they have been a club team probably for 40 years. When I was in grad school there, Wisconsin did not play Div I hockey, I don't think, but things can change. I doubt if they will, given the gender equity and cost questions, however. Tony Buffa RPI '64 Univ of Illinois '66 and '69 HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.