Niagara drops women's hockey!!

[HockeyEast33]

Re: Niagara drops women's hockey!!

So what kind of numbers are we talking about 40 of the 150-200 or higher ?. I find it hard to believe that there would be more than 20-30 or so verbal commits at this stage more than 8 months prior to NLI and 4 months prior to July 1st.

Agreed. The U18 national team players from 2013-2014 are all committed at this point. Beyond that, a few select players who were in the mix for the National team as well - a couple of NAHA kids, a few Shattuck kids, and some random kids from the rest of the pool with a specific connection. While colleges/coaches have their lists of players under consideration for 2013-2014 and what holes they need to fill, they are largely dynamic at this point and the vast majority of spots are still to be filled. Numerous schools have no committed 2013-2014 kids yet. Several of the Ivies are still filling out their 2012-2013 classes (or have done so only in the last couple of weeks as admissions decisions became clear/final). If these two Niagara kids are good and willing/able to wait until 2013-2014 to start college, there will be spots for them. The girls already at Niagara are the ones that will have a tough road at this point....

[SlewFoot]

Re: Niagara drops women's hockey!!

Agreed. The U18 national team players from 2013-2014 are all committed at this point. Beyond that, a few select players who were in the mix for the National team as well - a couple of NAHA kids, a few Shattuck kids, and some random kids from the rest of the pool with a specific connection. While colleges/coaches have their lists of players under consideration for 2013-2014 and what holes they need to fill, they are largely dynamic at this point and the vast majority of spots are still to be filled. Numerous schools have no committed 2013-2014 kids yet. Several of the Ivies are still filling out their 2012-2013 classes (or have done so only in the last couple of weeks as admissions decisions became clear/final). If these two Niagara kids are good and willing/able to wait until 2013-2014 to start college, there will be spots for them. The girls already at Niagara are the ones that will have a tough road at this point....

For the most part I think you are right on but I have to believe that there are schools that are willing to take some of these girls. I doubt that they can offer any money but for some of the top players they could probably tell them if things work out we get you something the following year. Remember most schools have a later application deadline for transfers.

[PurpleEagles]

When a program gets dropped like this, for the players who decide to transfer and play elsewhere, do they still have to set out a year like other transfers, or can they play right away since their program was dropped? I was thinking when a program is dropped that the players can transfer and play right away, but I could be wrong.

They will not have to sit out a year....They can play immediately.

[NPEfan]

Re: Niagara drops women's hockey!!

For the most part I think you are right on but I have to believe that there are schools that are willing to take some of these girls. I doubt that they can offer any money but for some of the top players they could probably tell them if things work out we get you something the following year. Remember most schools have a later application deadline for transfers.

We are finding the application date for transfers is also past ...most are by March 15th. Some earlier. And yes, a big issue is the schools are saying that their money is gone and can't offer anything this coming year.

[PurpleEagle4ever]

We are finding the application date for transfers is also past ...most are by March 15th. Some earlier. And yes, a big issue is the schools are saying that their money is gone and can't offer anything this coming year.

This is incredibly heartless of the school, so ashamed to be an alum of this university!!!

[SlewFoot]

Re: Niagara drops women's hockey!!

We are finding the application date for transfers is also past ...most are by March 15th. Some earlier. And yes, a big issue is the schools are saying that their money is gone and can't offer anything this coming year.

My heart goes out to you. Its a tough situation. There's no good answer. I wish you and all of the women on the team the best. I know that there are some schools that have an April 1st application deadline. Maybe you can catch on with one of those however make sure that it is the right school for you academically.

[WIrinkrat]

Re: Niagara drops women's hockey!!

There are absolutely schools out there that you can apply to until well into the summer. Whether they are going to have roster spots/scholarship opportunity is another question.

There are also plenty of great D3 options available that for kids not on full athletic scholarship at Niagara could end up being very comparable in price to what was being paid at NU, and again, many of them will take applications until well into the summer and likely are going to have a great deal more flexibility in terms of their rosters at this stage than many of the D1's

[HockeyEast33]

Re: Niagara drops women's hockey!!

There are absolutely schools out there that you can apply to until well into the summer. Whether they are going to have roster spots/scholarship opportunity is another question.

There are also plenty of great D3 options available that for kids not on full athletic scholarship at Niagara could end up being very comparable in price to what was being paid at NU, and again, many of them will take applications until well into the summer and likely are going to have a great deal more flexibility in terms of their rosters at this stage than many of the D1's

This is a great point!!! D3 schools tend to be smaller and have more flexibility in admissions and the whole process is later so there will be spots available. No athletic scholarship money though..... but perhaps academic merit aid for those that qualify. Good luck to the girls...

[PurpleEagles]

Re: Niagara drops women's hockey!!

There are absolutely schools out there that you can apply to until well into the summer. Whether they are going to have roster spots/scholarship opportunity is another question.

Things are starting to happen... good to see. Good luck girls!

[sbkbghockey]

Re: Niagara drops women's hockey!!

Lindenwood will be in next year, along with Penn State? That's good--lose one, but gain three. I guess that's some kind of progress.

Although Lindenwood and Penn State are solid additions to NCAA hockey and have long traditions in the ACHA as well as strong support of athletics at both schools, losing Niagara is a big loss! To me it's a bigger loss than Wayne State. Wayne State dropping women's hockey was not a shock after they dropped the men's program; plus the economic recession hitting Michigan and Detroit especially hard, no on-campus ice facility and a really sub-par facility they were using, combined with other factors. Niagara is a much bigger loss and also a much larger surprise! It has a stable men's program, a nice on-campus ice arena, a good location (excellent for US and Canadian recruiting), being in a hockey-rich area of Northwestern NY, as well as their conference growing and stabilizing. So now we've lost 2 programs in Wayne State and now Niagara just when it looks like NCAA women's hockey starts growing with the additions of Lindenwood, Penn State, and now RIT

[PurpleEagles]

Re: Niagara drops women's hockey!!

Although Lindenwood and Penn State are solid additions to NCAA hockey and have long traditions in the ACHA as well as strong support of athletics at both schools, losing Niagara is a big loss! To me it's a bigger loss than Wayne State. Wayne State dropping women's hockey was not a shock after they dropped the men's program; plus the economic recession hitting Michigan and Detroit especially hard, no on-campus ice facility and a really sub-par facility they were using, combined with other factors. Niagara is a much bigger loss and also a much larger surprise! It has a stable men's program, a nice on-campus ice arena, a good location (excellent for US and Canadian recruiting), being in a hockey-rich area of Northwestern NY, as well as their conference growing and stabilizing. So now we've lost 2 programs in Wayne State and now Niagara just when it looks like NCAA women's hockey starts growing with the additions of Lindenwood, Penn State, and now RIT

Great point made above. The fall of WIH at Niagara can be directed at the AD and admin. Men's ice hockey is not going no where. The AD guided the WIH program into an ambush. They wanted this a long time ago.

[sbkbghockey]

Re: Niagara drops women's hockey!!

Great point made above. The fall of WIH at Niagara can be directed at the AD and admin. Men's ice hockey is not going no where. The AD guided the WIH program into an ambush. They wanted this a long time ago.

I got the feeling Wayne State was trying to make it work, they could have just cut women's hockey when they cut men's. Outside economic factors and the fact that WSU is a state school and those purse strings are controlled by the state were big factors to the program ending. Niagara made this sudden announcement and I haven't heard if they've tried working with alumni, local hockey community, etc... to try and keep the program.

[PurpleEagle4ever]

I got the feeling Wayne State was trying to make it work, they could have just cut women's hockey when they cut men's. Outside economic factors and the fact that WSU is a state school and those purse strings are controlled by the state were big factors to the program ending. Niagara made this sudden announcement and I haven't heard if they've tried working with alumni, local hockey community, etc... to try and keep the program.

No one was contacted for support and apparently this plan was in the works over a year ago.
http://niagarahub.com/2012/03/19/audio-niagara-ad-mclaughlin-talks-about-demise-of-womens-hockey/

[giwan]

Re: Niagara drops women's hockey!!

I got the feeling Wayne State was trying to make it work, they could have just cut women's hockey when they cut men's. Outside economic factors and the fact that WSU is a state school and those purse strings are controlled by the state were big factors to the program ending. Niagara made this sudden announcement and I haven't heard if they've tried working with alumni, local hockey community, etc... to try and keep the program.

I disagree with you fully that WSU was trying to make it work. Though the state may have been hit harder economically then many, WSU at the same time pour large sums of $$$$$ into their football program. It's a D2 program not like they get 10's of thousand coming to see them weekly. If I remember correctly the week prior to the announcement captains were named for the next year.

Not sure about the Niagara situation, but more then likely it was a cost shift to another program. It does not look good if there was no plea made to the alumni or local community.

[sbkbghockey]

Re: Niagara drops women's hockey!!

No one was contacted for support and apparently this plan was in the works over a year ago.
http://niagarahub.com/2012/03/19/aud...womens-hockey/

That's really a shame, the lack of communication between supporters and the athletic department make this situation worse.

I disagree with you fully that WSU was trying to make it work. Though the state may have been hit harder economically then many, WSU at the same time pour large sums of $$$$$ into their football program. It's a D2 program not like they get 10's of thousand coming to see them weekly. If I remember correctly the week prior to the announcement captains were named for the next year.

Not sure about the Niagara situation, but more then likely it was a cost shift to another program. It does not look good if there was no plea made to the alumni or local community.

I think it was stated on this thread earlier in the discussion, the majority of athletic programs don't make money, football and basketball teams make the most money at many universities, at some of the big hockey schools, men's hockey makes some money. A lot of schools use the revenue made at football and basketball to help cover costs of other programs. It's not a surprise they put money into football, but that doesn't mean they weren't trying for women's hockey too.