RPI Women's Hockey

[polarbear2]

Originally posted by RPI_fan03
So...Salve and UMB...
And I guess I will throw in Williams too...

The next two weekends should be no problem...assuming RPI comes to play and doesn't underestimate either team!
Salve has a decent goalie IIRC, but as I have not seen them this year I'll just go by last year and their current record...should be a game worthy of practice...keep the game-speed juices flowing and take the opportunity to set the pace so that in tighter games they are able to do the same....consistency is a big factor...60minutes to a game afterall!

UMB is a great beginning program....they have already turned heads and seem to be taking the same route as NEC...start off strong the first season in the league and just get stronger as you go...RPI should win this, but again this is a good opportunity to play a game of possession and just outwork them for all 60 min.
*side note: can't wait to see how the league goes next season with the new teams really picking up steam faster than normal...2 seasons instead of 5 or so

As for Williams...haven't seen them for a few years...but no one who has ever played can forget the potential threat Wasserman poses everytime she is on the ice! This will be a good test for RPI to end the season on a strong note...they should be heading to the playoffs (barring drastic events) right after this game, so hopefully it will give them a good test and some confidence for playoffs.

I think that RPI can definitely run the table....all they have to do is play 60min in all five games...there were some lapses this past weekend that I think could have been the difference between the split and a 4 point weekend...but these girls know the value of hard work, so if they stick to the game plan and just earn every inch I don't see any of these teams stopping them:D


just watch out for Williams...they are very good.....and have some depth......they have run the table themselves this season with the exception of teams in the top 5 in the DivIII poll...and played a number of them even, or better, in terms of SOG.....

[Red Cloud]

Williams-RPI should be a great game. Williams is, IIRC, the closest D-III school to RPI now that Union is D-I, so hopefully a lot of RPI faithful will take the trip down Route 2 with me.

I want to say something good about Salve, but there's really not much to say about a team that managed to lose to MIT. :( I felt bad for them in the playoffs last year.

UMB should be entertaining. The exhibition last year at HFH was a good, solid game played by both teams, that weekend will be a good gauge for how far we've come since Manhattanville. It happens to coincide with the men's trip to Harvard and Brown, and I've got several friends who should be coming with me to the Saturday game.

[Bearcat44]

Some more positive recognition for RPI and more importantly, Rosina Schiff, as she's the DIII Women's defensive player of the week. She earned it. Good job Rosina!

[leeb]

Pretty anti-climactic going from a two game series with Manhattanville to playing Salve Regina. But I'm sure the girls will be up for it. It should be a good couple of games to get some players in who don't play much.

Here's a thought...The Freakout is tomorrow and it's been discussed already on the men's board that a good number of recruits will probably be there for the game. You think maybe there will be some female recruits there too? You think the Freakout would have as much of an impact on a female recruit as it would for a male recruit? Hmmm, interesting thought.

Oh yeah, way to go Rosina!!

edit : Now that I think of it, can RPI even do something like that being that the women's team is D3?

[Ralph Baer]

Originally posted by leeb
Pretty anti-climactic going from a two game series with Manhattanville to playing Salve Regina. But I'm sure the girls will be up for it. It should be a good couple of games to get some players in who don't play much.

Here's a thought...The Freakout is tomorrow and it's been discussed already on the men's board that a good number of recruits will probably be there for the game. You think maybe there will be some female recruits there too? You think the Freakout would have as much of an impact on a female recruit as it would for a male recruit? Hmmm, interesting thought.

Oh yeah, way to go Rosina!!

edit : Now that I think of it, can RPI even do something like that being that the women's team is D3? My first thought is that they wouldn't bring in recruits when the women's team isn't playing. However, I suspect that your Edit is correct and paid for recruiting visits aren't allowed under the D-III rules. (I don't know this for a fact.)

[rpi_fan03]

Visits are not "paid for" in D3...at least there is no "flying in" of recruits. There is a part of the budget set aside for recruits however...the recruits are not expected to pay for dinner or anything like that....the hosts/recruits are given a stipend and that is used for food and other needs and what is left is given to the coach when the recruit leaves (along with reciepts for the money spent)

But to address the question about the BRF...ideally it would be a GREAT weekend for the women's team to have recruits there...but they are not playing at home this weekend. The last few years BC had tried to make sure BRF weekend was either an off week or a home week for the women...but sometimes scheduling doesn't work that way. The best part about that weekend is that there is never a lack of hockey related entertainment...and it shows a lot about the regions emotion for the game...it will seal the deal with anyone who is on the edge about going to RPI...male or female.

But usually the womens team does the same for recruiting as the men's team...kid comes in to see a game and stays for an overnight and a day when there is no game...lets the prospect see what game days are like and also what "every other day" is like (including a couple classes and meetings with certain admin people like Bob Conway)


think that covers it:D

[Red Cloud]

Engineers lost what can only be described as a heartbreaker in Boston yesterday afternoon, 3-1 to the Beacons.

The offense was pretty anemic, only finally scoring late in the game on a 5x3 situation but still managing to fire off 36 shots during the game, so kudos to Boston goalie Boucher.

Hopefully this afternoon's game will fare better. With M'ville's win over Southern Maine they have taken first place and any hope the Engineers had of staying on top is gone - they'd have to win today (in progress as I write) and see Manhattanville lose out - highly unlikely.

[hab]

I'm a little mystified by the lack of follow up announcement from RPI on the timing of the move to Div 1. Anybody got any information on what is going on? Having made the decision, surely they aren't considering delaying the move beyond the 2005-2006 season are they? I would think that they would want to follow the Clarkson approach: one year at Div 1 independent in 05-06 and then go ECAC in 06-07. The sooner the announcement is made the better in terms of getting the recruiting process kicked off. I would hope that the prospect of going to Div 1 is resulting in some interest even for the 04-05 season.

Question #2: anybody know what WRPI plans for broadcasts this weekend? The RPI men play at 7 pm on Friday and Saturday, so at best they will do one hour of the RPI/ NEC womens game on Saturday, and then cover the final on Sunday?

[stetem]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by hab
[B]I'm a little mystified by the lack of follow up announcement from RPI on the timing of the move to Div 1. Anybody got any information on what is going on? Having made the decision, surely they aren't considering delaying the move beyond the 2005-2006 season are they? I would think that they would want to follow the Clarkson approach: one year at Div 1 independent in 05-06 and then go ECAC in 06-07. The sooner the announcement is made the better in terms of getting the recruiting process kicked off. I would hope that the prospect of going to Div 1 is resulting in some interest even for the 04-05 season.

I THOUGHT RPI'S MOVE TO DI WAS A DONE DEAL FOR NEXT SEASON

[uvmcats]

Originally posted by hab

Question #2: anybody know what WRPI plans for broadcasts this weekend? The RPI men play at 7 pm on Friday and Saturday, so at best they will do one hour of the RPI/ NEC womens game on Saturday, and then cover the final on Sunday?
Why would they broadcast NEC vs. Manhattanville???:confused: ;)

[Red Cloud]

Originally posted by stetem

I THOUGHT RPI'S MOVE TO DI WAS A DONE DEAL FOR NEXT SEASON Absolutely not. We're at least playing D-III next season, and possibly the one after that.

You're not rid of us that easily. :D

[stetem]

Originally posted by RPIRED
Absolutely not. We're at least playing D-III next season, and possibly the one after that.

You're not rid of us that easily. :D

I think its great....Its starting to be a fun rivalry with Manhattanville...and hopefully continues on for a couple more years

[polarbear2]

Well, all of your mental gymnastics proved to be for naught, as Bowdoin won the NESCAC...congratulations on a great season...I hope you can do better in DivIII before you move to DivI, otherwise it may be a long haul as doormats....oh well, big dreams often have big price tags....

[Dader]

Just want to congratulate the RPI team & its loyal fans for a wonderful season ... particularly in light of the painful start it had ... never met Bill Cahill in person (exchanged a couple of e-mails w/ him ...) and I felt, just, really empty when I heard of his sudden death before this season started ( not to get too "National Enquirish" here, but my reaction was quite possibly due to the fact that my own father died at that exact age and in the same way ...) and I think that I can relate to how difficult it was for his players & others associated w/ the team to carry-on w/out him ... all-in-all a "gut-check" ( ah ... that's not appropriate) ... more appropriately a "heart-check" season and all of us might agree that they passed-w/ flying colors ...I'd have to believe that Coach Cahill would be awfully proud ...

[Red Cloud]

Originally posted by polarbear2
I hope you can do better in DivIII before you move to DivI, otherwise it may be a long haul as doormats....oh well, big dreams often have big price tags.... This doesn't exactly display an understanding of D-I and D-III dynamics.

[polarbear2]

Originally posted by RPIRED
This doesn't exactly display an understanding of D-I and D-III dynamics.


ok I am ignorant

[Ralph Baer]

Originally posted by polarbear2
ok I am ignorant I think that RPIRED is trying to say that RPI will be able to attract more higher quality players when they move to D-I. A matter of fact I suspect that the process has already started, although it would be better if the schedule of the move were announced.

[Red Cloud]

Originally posted by Ralph Baer
I think that RPIRED is trying to say that RPI will be able to attract more higher quality players when they move to D-I. A matter of fact I suspect that the process has already started, although it would be better if the schedule of the move were announced. There's that. Then there's the "Clarkson vs. Union" idea.

Watch the ECAC next year and see how well Clarkson does compared to Union. Clarkson spent this year as an independent, Union went straight to the ECAC. Clarkson is getting themselves ready to run with Harvard/Dartmouth/St. Lawrence in the coming years. Union isn't.

I'm willing to bet that RPI's first year of D-I will be similiar to Clarkson's rather than Union's. And the second year may not be stellar, but won't be RPI getting embarrassed every night.

In addition, it's a common misconception to say "oh, X team is terrible, they can't move to D-I." It's not a question of performance, it's one of committment and tradition. We wouldn't clamor for Bowdoin's elevation to D-I because A) we know they wouldn't do it, and B) it doesn't make sense, just because they have a good team.

As to next year, the core of this year's team will be coming back, and the new prospects will come in knowing that they'll be able to play 2-3 seasons in D-I. A bright future indeed.

[Ralph Baer]

Originally posted by RPIRED
There's that. Then there's the "Clarkson vs. Union" idea.

Watch the ECAC next year and see how well Clarkson does compared to Union. Clarkson spent this year as an independent, Union went straight to the ECAC. Clarkson is getting themselves ready to run with Harvard/Dartmouth/St. Lawrence in the coming years. Union isn't. And Clarkson offers scholarships while Union will be ecstatic if they ever finish at .400 . :D

[Ralph Baer]

TIMELINE SET FOR WOMEN'S HOCKEY'S ELEVATION
Engineers to play one more season of Division III before going to Division I

Troy, NY -- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) President Shirley Ann Jackson has announced the timeline for the school's elevation of the women's ice hockey program to the Division I level. After one more season at Division III, the Engineers will move up to Division I beginning in 2005-06. That team, which will feature student-athletes who receive athletic grants-in-aid, will compete as an independent.

Rensselaer expects to join the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) beginning in the 2006-07 season. By the 2008-09 campaign, the program will be fully funded with 18 grants-in-aid and a complete coaching and support staff.

"Elevating the women's ice hockey program to Division I will build on Rensselaer's great hockey tradition," said President Jackson. "This is an exciting transition for our women's ice hockey program, at a pace which allows us to build a team that can compete at the highest level."

Plans for the women's ice hockey team to be elevated to Division I were originally announced by President Jackson on Jan. 12. Rensselaer's Board of Trustees recently approved the timeline announced today.

"We are extremely excited about the direction we are headed," said Rensselaer Director of Athletics Ken Ralph. "This timeline will allow our program to make a smooth transition into a very competitive environment. It is our goal to minimize the growing pains and to continue to have success on the ice."

This season, the nationally ranked Engineers, who are coached by John Burke, posted a 19-5-3 overall record and a 13-3-1 mark in the ECAC East. RPI, which was 2-1-2 against Division I opponents, advanced to the ECAC East tournament final for the second straight year.

With its elevation, the women's ice hockey program becomes the second Division I sport at Rensselaer, joining the men's hockey program. The men's team has been in existence since 1901-02 and has two National Championships to its credit (1954 & 1985). RPI also has 21 Division III programs.

Should Rensselaer be accepted to the ECAC, it will join a league that currently features Brown, Clarkson, Colgate, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, St. Lawrence, Union, Vermont and Yale. The same 12 schools currently make up the ECAC Division I men's hockey league.