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  • #16
    Re: WIAC adds Northland

    Originally posted by Tom Coughlin View Post
    The WIAC can take Finlandia and Northland, but I'm not ready to give up CSS. That being said, CSS fits much more naturally in the MIAC.
    So, there's potential for 3 teams to leave the NCHA. Have there been any mentions of new schools adding hockey in the midwest in addition to Aurora and Trine?

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    • #17
      Re: WIAC adds Northland

      Originally posted by d3hockey57 View Post
      So, there's potential for 3 teams to leave the NCHA. Have there been any mentions of new schools adding hockey in the midwest in addition to Aurora and Trine?
      It would be nice if the NCHA dropped back down to 10 teams. I liked the old double round robin schedule.
      5x NCAA D3 Ice Hockey Champion: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018
      2x Super Bowl Champion: XLII, XLVI

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      • #18
        Re: WIAC adds Northland

        Originally posted by Tom Coughlin View Post
        It would be nice if the NCHA dropped back down to 10 teams. I liked the old double round robin schedule.
        If Finlandia departs and Trine can grab some quality recruits, this conference could potentially get 3 NCAA bids every year. I'm sure some Easterners aren't going to be too fond of that.

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        • #19
          Funny when the WIAC pulled the chute on NCHA it was travel, allegedly. One of the primary drivers of that separation has since been fired. The reality is they couldn’t beat SNC or CSS at a consistent clip. The real excuse according to the coaches driving it was that the state schools couldn’t compete with recruiting by the privates, even though tuition is half the price. Now they are accepting privates that have the same position. They know they are not accepting power programs and they are looking for AQ. It is what it appears to be. Has Northland really taken a step in respectably, 6-10-2 in conference play? FU is not going anywhere. Give their new, old coach a few years. He will get them back on the map. WIAC has one team and they have been strong the last 5 years. But their builder is now at MTU. Hopefully they will continue but this conference is not what is was since it changed to WIAC. Be careful what you wish for. WIAC got theirs. River, Stout, Superior...way down since split. UWEC solid, UWSP strong. CSS has been a good program in NCHA. Now with coaching change and loss of strong coaching leadership, they may look into MIAC. But MIAC has to be interested in them too.

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          • #20
            Re: WIAC adds Northland

            Originally posted by Real Old #35 View Post
            Funny when the WIAC pulled the chute on NCHA it was travel, allegedly. One of the primary drivers of that separation has since been fired. The reality is they couldn’t beat SNC or CSS at a consistent clip. The real excuse according to the coaches driving it was that the state schools couldn’t compete with recruiting by the privates, even though tuition is half the price. Now they are accepting privates that have the same position. They know they are not accepting power programs and they are looking for AQ. It is what it appears to be. Has Northland really taken a step in respectably, 6-10-2 in conference play? FU is not going anywhere. Give their new, old coach a few years. He will get them back on the map. WIAC has one team and they have been strong the last 5 years. But their builder is now at MTU. Hopefully they will continue but this conference is not what is was since it changed to WIAC. Be careful what you wish for. WIAC got theirs. River, Stout, Superior...way down since split. UWEC solid, UWSP strong. CSS has been a good program in NCHA. Now with coaching change and loss of strong coaching leadership, they may look into MIAC. But MIAC has to be interested in them too.
            Your point about Stout and Superior being down since the split is borne out in their collective win totals in the last five seasons (since the split) versus the five previous seasons when they were in the NCHA.... combined wins have dropped to 91 from 132, a 31% reduction. Stout experienced the biggest win reduction from 67 to 45, while Superior dropped from 67 to 46......River did increase their total by 5....69 to 74...
            What changed? Decline in the quality of recruits? Schedule change....the WIAC has only played an eight game conference schedule in recent seasons...rest are non conference games vs MIAC/NCHA schools.
            SNC Men:
            Five Time National Champions: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014. 2018....
            NCHA Champions: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017. 2018, 2019...
            SNC Women:
            O'Brien Cup Champions: 2013.

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            • #21
              Originally posted by Real Old #35 View Post
              Funny when the WIAC pulled the chute on NCHA it was travel, allegedly. One of the primary drivers of that separation has since been fired. The reality is they couldn’t beat SNC or CSS at a consistent clip. The real excuse according to the coaches driving it was that the state schools couldn’t compete with recruiting by the privates, even though tuition is half the price. Now they are accepting privates that have the same position. They know they are not accepting power programs and they are looking for AQ. It is what it appears to be. Has Northland really taken a step in respectably, 6-10-2 in conference play? FU is not going anywhere. Give their new, old coach a few years. He will get them back on the map. WIAC has one team and they have been strong the last 5 years. But their builder is now at MTU. Hopefully they will continue but this conference is not what is was since it changed to WIAC. Be careful what you wish for. WIAC got theirs. River, Stout, Superior...way down since split. UWEC solid, UWSP strong. CSS has been a good program in NCHA. Now with coaching change and loss of strong coaching leadership, they may look into MIAC. But MIAC has to be interested in them too.
              The NCHA likely got stronger with Northland leaving. Northland hasn't made the NCHA Playoffs recently. The only benefit for the WIAC is 2-3 less non-conference games.

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              • #22
                Re: WIAC adds Northland

                Was there ever any prospective to elevate another Wisconsin state school to NCAA status (Platteville, Oshkosh, La Crosse, Whitewater)?

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                • #23
                  Re: WIAC adds Northland

                  Originally posted by d3hockey57 View Post
                  Was there ever any prospective to elevate another Wisconsin state school to NCAA status (Platteville, Oshkosh, La Crosse, Whitewater)?
                  Oshkosh just cut men's soccer a couple of years ago... guessing there's no budget to add a more expensive support.
                  St. Norbert College Green Knights
                  NCHA regular season champs: 97-99, 02-08, 10-12, 14, 16, 19
                  NCHA playoff champs: 98-99, 03-05, 07-08, 10-14, 17-19, 24
                  NCAA Champions: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018
                  ---
                  SNC women: 2013 O'Brien Cup Champions

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                  • #24
                    Re: WIAC adds Northland

                    Originally posted by d3hockey57 View Post
                    Was there ever any prospective to elevate another Wisconsin state school to NCAA status (Platteville, Oshkosh, La Crosse, Whitewater)?
                    UW Plattville, Oshkosh and La Crosse have club hockey teams, but no indication of going varsity any time soon....
                    SNC Men:
                    Five Time National Champions: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014. 2018....
                    NCHA Champions: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017. 2018, 2019...
                    SNC Women:
                    O'Brien Cup Champions: 2013.

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                    • #25
                      Re: WIAC adds Northland

                      Originally posted by Sir Nubs View Post
                      I would be willing to bet St. Norbert being contacted or even being interested is someone's pipe dream.
                      Sir Nubs -- Obviously, you're free to not believe me but, I'm quite confident they were approached. Was it more than a single call to guage any possible interest that was immediately rebuffed with a polite "no thank you"? Certainly possible.

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                      • #26
                        Re: WIAC adds Northland

                        Originally posted by net presence View Post
                        Sir Nubs -- Obviously, you're free to not believe me but, I'm quite confident they were approached. Was it more than a single call to guage any possible interest that was immediately rebuffed with a polite "no thank you"? Certainly possible.
                        It's also possible your source was feeding you a big pile of road apples, or was giving you incorrect information to try and make their own position/move look better. Anyone involved with a clue would know better than to ask SNC in the first place. Then again, there are a lot of clueless people out there these days...

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                        • #27
                          Re: WIAC adds Northland

                          No inside knowledge here... while I think SNC would reject any WIAC call, situations change. While not as volitile as D1 football, obviously, there's no reason for SNC to be difficult, either. At the moment, does it make sense to go back to the WIAC schools? I think not. But who know what develops down the road. Besides, SNC needs to keep playing those schools for the non-con schedule, so it needs to maintain those lanes of dialogue.
                          St. Norbert College Green Knights
                          NCHA regular season champs: 97-99, 02-08, 10-12, 14, 16, 19
                          NCHA playoff champs: 98-99, 03-05, 07-08, 10-14, 17-19, 24
                          NCAA Champions: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018
                          ---
                          SNC women: 2013 O'Brien Cup Champions

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Re: WIAC adds Northland

                            Originally posted by GB Puck Fan View Post
                            No inside knowledge here... while I think SNC would reject any WIAC call, situations change. While not as volitile as D1 football, obviously, there's no reason for SNC to be difficult, either. At the moment, does it make sense to go back to the WIAC schools? I think not. But who know what develops down the road. Besides, SNC needs to keep playing those schools for the non-con schedule, so it needs to maintain those lanes of dialogue.
                            The WIAC needs SNC and the NCHA as good partners more than the other way around. The NCHA schools aren't the ones with 17 non-conference games to schedule every year recently. That number won't drop much with the addition of Northland. So I don't think the WIAC is going to do anything to antagonize the NCHA membership.

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                            • #29
                              Re: WIAC adds Northland

                              Originally posted by Umdbulldog371
                              Northland made the NCHA playoffs in 2016-17. Though they came up short this year, they did have some strong wins- highlighted by the win vs. St. Norbert. They have done very well vs. WIAC schools over the past couple of years as well going 5-3-1. Northland is certainly a team that is trending in the right direction and a team that has been very competitive in the NCHA. With Northland leaving, CSS closest conference game will be 4.5 hours away. If they were to join the WIAC- furthest conference opponent is 4 hours to Stevens Point. CSS, UW-Superior and Northland are also part of the UMAC conference for other sports. The move from Northland is very positive for hockey here in the West and I will be shocked if 1-2 more team do not join the WIAC.
                              The problem with the WIAC is you have to play by their rules. With the NCHA, there's more freedom for each school to express any concerns they have to the league. There's a reason the Wisconsin state schools left to create their own division. Northland is not in a position to dictate WIAC policy (not that they have to at this point). But hey, all I know is "West is best".

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                              • #30
                                Re: WIAC adds Northland

                                Originally posted by Umdbulldog371
                                Northland made the NCHA playoffs in 2016-17. Though they came up short this year, they did have some strong wins- highlighted by the win vs. St. Norbert. They have done very well vs. WIAC schools over the past couple of years as well going 5-3-1. Northland is certainly a team that is trending in the right direction and a team that has been very competitive in the NCHA. With Northland leaving, CSS closest conference game will be 4.5 hours away. If they were to join the WIAC- furthest conference opponent is 4 hours to Stevens Point. CSS, UW-Superior and Northland are also part of the UMAC conference for other sports. The move from Northland is very positive for hockey here in the West and I will be shocked if 1-2 more team do not join the WIAC.
                                Sounds like the words of someone who doesn't want to leave the NCHA for the WIAC by himself.

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