Westfield state

[WSChky]

It was announced this week that Westfield state will not be allowed to compete in the national tournament.
At the time of acceptance to the league, It was implied they would be eligible.
You think this choice was made because they are ripping everyone in the league? This team has been in the making for Div.III NCAA for past three years.
Once again Westfield has got the short end of the stick.

[RedFox]

Just curious...

Where was it announced? By who?

When you say accepted into the league, do you mean ACHA or SuperEast?

How was it implied?

If you mean ACHA, has the ACHA let other new members compete in the tournament in the past and they just changed it in regards to Westfield?

These questions are not a dig at Westfield, I'd like to see Westfield compete if eligible to represent the SuperEast, I' m just curious what you mean by your statements.

[WSChky]

It was annouched by ACHA on Monday.
SuperEast is the league.

It was implied when they where accepted. As other teams had dropped out and ACHA wanted to have the SuperEast to be represented the best it could.

Westfield were told where and when the Nationals would be held by ACHA. But were also told that the decission on there particapation would be made at a later date.

I hope this has answered your questions.

[BernardtheSniper]

The ACHA never formally announced anything. Westfield State is playing its first year in the ACHA and the SuperEast. While eligible for conference playoffs they are not allowed to attend regionals or nationals as stated in the ACHA rulebook. All first year teams must go through a one year probationary period. My opinion on this matter is that the probationary period is unfair and does nothing for the league. The national championships are suppose to be for the best teams in the country. Lets say at the end of the year WSC is ranked 5th or so nationally, no matter what their ranked they wont be able to attend nationals so who is to say that the winner of the national championship is the best, when all the best teams werent there. I would really like to know what the one year probation does??? Westfield State just beat StonyBrook who is ranked #1 in the Northeast right now. Im positive that if there was no probationary period then you would definitely see WSC at nationals.

[RedFox]

I agree, Sniper, the probationary period seems useless to me. I'm not sure what the probationary period would protect. It's too bad. Being a Mass native and an ex-Marist player, I am very familiar with the SuperEast and somewhat familiar with Westfield and the level and history of their program and figured them to be a lock for Nationals.

Not knowing ACHA rules, regs and procedures though, I would assume that Westfield must have been provided with ACHA documentation that details the probationary period. If something was intimated to them that is outside the rule books, everyone in the ACHA, not just Westfield, should be concerned that some sort of side deals are being worked out with specific teams.

WSChky, if such a thing has happened, I don't think it happened because someone is trying to keep a quality team out (that makes no sense to me), it seems to me some sort of really bad breakdown in procedure at the ACHA level. Maybe if Westfield requests, the ACHA can post something on their site on what is happened.

[BernardtheSniper]

THe only thing i can think of that the probationary period can do is not allow a powerhouse team to come in and dominate the league their first year. But other then that i see no point in having it. This rule is just holding back a strong very competitive team from showcasing their skills at the national tournament. WSC has been playing very competitive hockey the past three years now. THe last few years was against many ACHA div 1 teams and many NCAA div 3 teams. If anyone knows of any teams be able to skip this probationary period id like to hear about it. I thought there was a release form or payment of some sort a school could make so to waive that probationary year and be eligable for the national tournament

[BernardtheSniper]

Westfield State is now 10-1-1 with their latest victory over CCSU by the score of 9-4. They are 6-1-1 in league play and 4-0 in non league play beating WNEC (ncaa div 3), harvard jv, babson, and Bryant. In the last rankings they were ranked #2 in the Northeast. I think they'll be fighting for first place in the next rankings. They dont play as many games this year unlike many teams but their schedule involves many of the same teams. Due to the hiring of a new coach and entering a new league the team wasnt able to schedule as many games because most teams already had their schedules done. Hopefully next year theyll have a much deeper schedule, maybe even taking some road trips out west. Even if their ranked #1 and win the SuperEast they stil wont be able to go to nationals because of the ACHA first year probation rule.

[BernardtheSniper]

Just a update on Westfield State College's record. They are now 11-1-1 with their latest victory over Montclair State. They are ranked #1 in the Supereast and #2 in the ACHA Northeast rankings...............

[bluelineblast56]

I heard this weekend that the new Westfield coach was at the Jr B Showcase in Springfield telling everyone that Westfield is going to be varsity next year and they will be playing in the ECAC NE! What is it with these people from Westfield? Haven't they already scammed enough players into going there thinking they would be playing varsity? Why do they have to keep on telling lies? Are they that desperate for players?

[BernardtheSniper]

This time the coach has actual reason to go around telling players this. The school has unofficially decided to go forth and make Hockey a varsity sport once again at Westfield. They will be doing this through the use of private funds and very generous alumni donations. The school is unable to come up with the funds, so they needed to find other ways to come up with the money to have a varsity team. Next year they will still be in the ACHA and Supereast but they will also have games against almost all the teams in the ECAC Northeast if everything goes as planned. Nothing is definite but that is all the information that has been given at this time. So for the first time a coach from Westfield is telling possible recruits the truth. Unlike four years ago when their former coach promised the world to all the players on the team and gave them nothing. Surprisingly Westfield States hockey team has only lost four players the past three years and will not loose a single player after this year. Either way atleast Westfield State is in a league now and has something to play for.

[bluelineblast56]

I can guarantee you that Westfield will not have games next year against almost all of the Northeast teams because the NE teams already have their schedules done for next year and not many have Westfield on them. The other thing is don't be so certain that the ECAC NE willl accept Westfield into the conference. Castelton has been trying for two years to get in but with no luck. The problem I have is that the school has to come out and make a public statement that this is what is happening. It seems ludicrous that the coaching staff would go around and spread the word based on something that might happen. That's what got them into trouble last year. The other thing is that most D3 varsity programs have budgets around 100K. It would be great if WSC can get up that much money for next year, but what happens the following year and the year after that. Are they going to consistently be able to raise big amounts of money for years to come without any school funding?

[Powerplay]

It's nice to see the "buzz" regarding the status of the Westfield State Hockey program. As the Chairman of the fundraising effort I can tell you that the funds will be there for the program.Time line is not next year,but the year after.We have an alumni base that is committed to making this happen.Our first fundraiser is a Celebrity golf tournament this July.If anyone is interested in attending, I can send information.

[BernardtheSniper]

And since the ECAC NE see's that Westfield State is attempting to go NCAA Div 3 they will grant games against most teams in the league even though their schedules are already made up. Most teams have their schedules done two years in advance. So whenver a new team comes along they have to make room for them.......Ive been hearing this buzz about Westfield State for the past five years. Hopefully this time its for real. The players sacrifice everything they have during the season for it being just a "club" team. They may be a "club" team by title but they know they could compete at another level....

[rocketfan]

Bernardthesniper both powerplay and I played for Westfield State. We attended alumni meetings in the fall with several of our old teammates as well as players we did not know. There is a group of commited alumni as well as an administration that is determined to make Westfield State a compettitive Division 3 hockey team. It will happen. Contact us if you would like to help.

[BernardtheSniper]

Trust me, im all for Westfield State going div 3 but theres a knife stuck in my back that i cant quite get out. The players on this team have been promised and waiting for this program to go div 3 for the past 4-5 years now. I know it had a lot to do with their old coach making promises that could never be kept, and for the most part he was telling players what he hoped would happen with the program, not what really was going to happen. Im very happy to see the alumni and administration finally going all out to make this happen, but there needs to be some hard evidence before this announcement is made. I personally know that the players on the team are having the best time in years, being in a league with playoffs and a possible championship. The months of dryland and hours of on ice practice finally are worth going through in hopes of a championship. Westfield is currently 13-2-1, ranked 4th in the NE ACHA and is battling Stony Brook for first right posistion in the Supereast. Best of luck to the team the rest of the season and hopefully some good will come of all this talk for once.

[jdog3]

(Qoute from Bluelineblast56)
Castelton has been trying for two years to get in but with no luck.

Castleton will play in the ECAC NE next year, it's already a done deal.

[BernardtheSniper]

Just to back up what Jdog has said about Castleton, heres the link to their website to prove theyll be NCAA Div 3.......

http://www.csc.vsc.edu/athletics/

[bluelineblast56]

Originally posted by jdog3
(Qoute from Bluelineblast56)
Castleton will play in the ECAC NE next year, it's already a done deal.

You're absolutely wrong! You need to call the ECAC and you'll find out that the ECAC NE AD's at their October meeting voted to table any vote on Castelton's admission to the league until they decide what to do with Lebanon Valley. The AD's do not want to incur the expenses of traveling to both Hershey and Vermont. Word is that LVC will sue to remain in the league if voted out. Castelton has not been accepted into the NE for next season...why don't you call Wentworth and LVC and J&W and Curry and see if they have Castleton (and Westfield) on their schedules for next season? Castelton will be D3 next year...but an independent!

[jdog3]

Originally posted by bluelineblast56
You're absolutely wrong! You need to call the ECAC and you'll find out that the ECAC NE AD's at their October meeting voted to table any vote on Castelton's admission to the league until they decide what to do with Lebanon Valley. The AD's do not want to incur the expenses of traveling to both Hershey and Vermont. Word is that LVC will sue to remain in the league if voted out. Castelton has not been accepted into the NE for next season...why don't you call Wentworth and LVC and J&W and Curry and see if they have Castleton (and Westfield) on their schedules for next season? Castelton will be D3 next year...but an independent!

You are correct about Castelton State, but you are incorrect about LVC. There is no way that they can be voted out, otherwise it would have been done already. The ECAC Northeast charter does not allow for a team to be voted out, so LVC has nothing to worry about. The Northeast should have thought of all the travels costs when LVC applied to the league. If the NE did not allow LVC in the league already, LVC would probably be in the West already.

[puckoach]

Just got a copy of a Worcester Telegram newspaper article. Six Westfield State Hockey players arrained for assault and battery. The article, written by Diane Williamson, was prompted by the victim being a Worc area resident. According to the article, Mr Jachimczyk, a 5'2" diabetic with cystic fibrosis, was driven on 2/16 to an off campus party at the 'hockey house'.

"According to Mr. Jachimczyk, we ..stayed at the party for less than two hours, and spent part of the time watching television and chatting with the hockey coach, who was present at the party and drinking beer with the players.

"The injuries were not consistent with someone who had gotten into a fight that was soon got broken up, Sgt Valliere wrote, ..the injuries were more consistant with someone who had been severly beaten.