RIT to D-I? impact on Women's Hockey

[LakersFan]

Article on front page (http://www.uscho.com/news/2004/09/21_008653.php) describes a possible move to D-I for ice hockey at RIT. Of course, the article fails to mention the women's program. I can't imagine the men would move up without the women. If the women do move, it would be great news for the Women's CHA, which could become:

Niagara
RIT
Mercyhurst
Robert Morris
Wayne State

All is needed is a sixth team. Would this be enough to lure Ohio State back? It makes so much sense travel wise and with an automatic bid, it should be very tempting to OSU.

Another thing to consider is that some of the moves described in the article might signal the end for the Men's CHA. This could be trouble for the women's side, but there could be a Women's Atlantic Hockey or another league (perhaps back to the Great Lakes Women's Hockey Association, this time with a better logo, like a picture of the Great Lakes).

This could be great news for women's hockey in the Great Lakes region.

[MICZamboni]

All those things make a lot of sense. Anything to build women's hockey would be a good thing. I can see a team like RIT competing even at a faster rate than Mercyhurst did when they started from nothing. I hope their will be some good news for the CHA women soon.

[uticahockeyfan]

Do you think RIT will be competitive at the D-I level without scholarships?

[SHUCrosscheck]

Title IX would lead me to believe that the women's program would have to move up as well. Look at Union, RPI, Clarkson, SLU and so on. On the other hand RIT is not a great Women's Hockey team. They are good, sometimes very good. Without scholarships and a mediocre D3 reputation it could be difficult. I am sure RPI is going through the same problems.

[PuckChaser]

How much longer can Sacred Heart function legitmately?

[ClOuD 9]

Title IX would lead me to believe that the women's program would have to move up as well. Look at Union, RPI, Clarkson, SLU and so on.
From the article: "If there is a move to Division I in hockey for the Tigers, it likely would be part of an overall elevation of athletics at RIT. "We are exploring the possibility of doing some new and exciting things with our athletic program as part of a campus-wide strategic initiative to raise the profile of the university," said Spiotti."

[LakersFan]

If RIT does decide to changes divisions, would they have to go to D-I to play hockey, or could they do it from D-II? My memory is fuzzy, but I thought that the only D-II schools who are allowed to play D-I hockey are those that choose to play up when D-II was dissolved.

If they did make the large jump to D-I, the competition in Western New York is pretty slim (across all sports). Niagara, Canisus, Unviv. of Buffalo, and St. Bonaventure are not athletic powerhouses. The only "major" D-I sucesses that I can recall are St. Bona making the Men's Final Four in 1970 (Bob Lanier) and the Women's hockey team made the Frozen Four in 01-02. Western New York (having been raised there) is a blackhole for college sports, despite hosting a Frozen Four and early round NCAA Men's Basketball. Maybe RIT can start a new trend.