NEWHA Conference Announcement (Scholarships, OOC Scheduling, Autobid, etc.)

[TonyTheTiger20]

NEWHA announced that it's becoming a conference today. Shooting for a tournament autobid starting in 2021-2022. Schools will be offering scholarships and are already in the works scheduling non-conference games with other D-1 teams:

https://www.theicegarden.com/2018/9/...key-conference

[Lindsay]

Great news. Appreciate your reporting the story, TTT.

[TovarishchLisa]

I said it on the blog twitter but all I have to say is, with St. Mike's involved...

Battle of Burlington.

MAKE IT HAPPEN

[joecct]

The 2022 Autobid is key.

[ARM]

If there is a loser in this, particularly in the short term, I'd say that it is Hockey East. Many of its members are already struggling to take the next step above "respectable". If there is suddenly more competition to spread the talent pool in the region across additional programs, I don't see the average HEA team getting stronger more quickly. BC really needs someone like Northeastern or Maine to emerge as a bonafide threat.

[AMC]

If there is a loser in this, particularly in the short term, I'd say that it is Hockey East. Many of its members are already struggling to take the next step above "respectable". If there is suddenly more competition to spread the talent pool in the region across additional programs, I don't see the average HEA team getting stronger more quickly. BC really needs someone like Northeastern or Maine to emerge as a bonafide threat.

In Maine's case at least, there are only four players from the northeast outside Maine on the roster. Two from Massachusetts and one each from Connecticut and New York.

[TovarishchLisa]

In Maine's case at least, there are only four players from the northeast outside Maine on the roster. Two from Massachusetts and one each from Connecticut and New York.

Same with UVM. Two from Mass and two from NY, plus Greta Close from VT.

[TonyTheTiger20]

Same with UVM. Two from Mass and two from NY, plus Greta Close from VT.

Doesn't get much Close-r to UVM than Vermont

I'll show myself out

[TovarishchLisa]

Doesn't get much Close-r to UVM than Vermont

I'll show myself out

sir

[LtPowers]

Can anyone explain what "unanimously agreed to adhere to NCAA Division I recruiting rules" means? How do those rules differ from D-III, and are they actually more stringent somehow, as implied?


Powers &8^]

[DDad16]

Anyone have information on how this will affect the future number of teams in the tournament? I think it is 4 automatic bids right now, this will be 5. Leaving 3 at-large. I'd hate to see one of these teams (that are clearly not at the level they need to be to be competitive) take a spot from a team whose body of work through the season is more deserving of a spot. Hopefully these teams can become a little more competitive quickly, but I think it may be a while. Thanks in advance for further understanding!

[TovarishchLisa]

Anyone have information on how this will affect the future number of teams in the tournament? I think it is 4 automatic bids right now, this will be 5. Leaving 3 at-large. I'd hate to see one of these teams (that are clearly not at the level they need to be to be competitive) take a spot from a team whose body of work through the season is more deserving of a spot. Hopefully these teams can become a little more competitive quickly, but I think it may be a while. Thanks in advance for further understanding!

Believe NCAA rules stipulate that there has to be at least as many at-large bids as autobids

[AMC]

Can anyone explain what "unanimously agreed to adhere to NCAA Division I recruiting rules" means? How do those rules differ from D-III, and are they actually more stringent somehow, as implied?


Powers &8^]

D-III doesn't have a recruiting calendar. There can be contact year round. D-I has limits on when a coach can contact a recruit. There may be some other differences regarding official visits and the like.

[TonyTheTiger20]

Anyone have information on how this will affect the future number of teams in the tournament? I think it is 4 automatic bids right now, this will be 5. Leaving 3 at-large. I'd hate to see one of these teams (that are clearly not at the level they need to be to be competitive) take a spot from a team whose body of work through the season is more deserving of a spot. Hopefully these teams can become a little more competitive quickly, but I think it may be a while. Thanks in advance for further understanding!

Nothing's in the works yet but from what I've heard, there have been talks of expanding to 9 teams and having an 8/9 play-in game. I think that's the right way to go.

D-III doesn't have a recruiting calendar. There can be contact year round. D-I has limits on when a coach can contact a recruit. There may be some other differences regarding official visits and the like.

It's a D-1 vs. D-2 thing, not D-3, but it's pretty much this. I have a whole spreadsheet of differences someone put together for me here.

[ARM]

Nothing's in the works yet but from what I've heard, there have been talks of expanding to 9 teams and having an 8/9 play-in game.

Does that occur midweek or is there a bye week for the rest of the field? The former pretty well necessitates that the play-in game is just a bus trip (although we know that the NCAA would prefer that the entire quarterfinal round was just bus trips, so it isn't really new ground.)

[TonyTheTiger20]

Does that occur midweek or is there a bye week for the rest of the field? The former pretty well necessitates that the play-in game is just a bus trip (although we know that the NCAA would prefer that the entire quarterfinal round was just bus trips, so it isn't really new ground.)

I don't think anything that detailed has even been discussed. As far as I know they were just aware the NEWHA thing was coming and were discussing 8/9 being a potential way to deal with it.

My personal preference would be for the 8/9 game to be played the day before at the 1 seed host. Also if they are going to be seriously discussing additional flights, maybe this won't be an issue ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Scott_TG]

I don't think anything that detailed has even been discussed. As far as I know they were just aware the NEWHA thing was coming and were discussing 8/9 being a potential way to deal with it.

My personal preference would be for the 8/9 game to be played the day before at the 1 seed host. Also if they are going to be seriously discussing additional flights, maybe this won't be an issue ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

This is what they did with the DIII tournament this past March. The 8/9 game between Eau Claire and GAC went into 3OT and then Hamline took advantage the next night.

[ARM]

My personal preference would be for the 8/9 game to be played the day before at the 1 seed host. Also if they are going to be seriously discussing additional flights, maybe this won't be an issue ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

My hunch is that instead instead of a play-in game of #8 vs #9 at #1, we'd see unseeded team A vs unseeded team B at seeded team C where both A and B are a bus trip away from C. Hopefully, #5 and #6 aren't jousting for a spot in the quarters while three teams below them are automatically in, but I wouldn't say it could never happen.