NCAA Hockey Expansion Thread

[Barclay Donaldson]

Interesting tweet from the NAHL today

They know something we don't?

 

[BOS358]

What I've found after some quick Googling of Lindenwood Men's Hockey:

Jeff Cox of New England Hockey Journal tweeted that the program is going varsity "according to two sources with knowledge of the plans." While he has said some blindingly idiotic things on Twitter, he was an SID at Merrimack and seems to have a good relationship with college hockey insiders. This was later reported by YardBarker and Pro Hockey Rumors. I know nothing of those sources and can't comment about their credibility.

It just seems odd that the NAHL would tweet this before any official announcement from the school, as their PR Director is accountable to somebody (unlike Cox.) Neither outcome (official announcement or much ado about nothing) would surprise me.

 

[mk80]

They know something we don't?

What I've found after some quick Googling of Lindenwood Men's Hockey:

Jeff Cox of New England Hockey Journal tweeted that the program is going varsity "according to two sources with knowledge of the plans." While he has said some blindingly idiotic things on Twitter, he was an SID at Merrimack and seems to have a good relationship with college hockey insiders. This was later reported by YardBarker and Pro Hockey Rumors. I know nothing of those sources and can't comment about their credibility.

It just seems odd that the NAHL would tweet this before any official announcement from the school, as their PR Director is accountable to somebody (unlike Cox.) Neither outcome (official announcement or much ado about nothing) would surprise me.

Essentially the puck is in the university's half of the ice at this point for the announcement.

As for the YardBarker, and Pro Hockey Rumor articles, I realize Lindenwood is not exactly a name brand outside of the St. Louis area. But the writers should be ashamed for releasing that article without fact checking the following:

"The department is also equipped to handle the many additional requirements of sponsoring a Division I sport, not only due to its women’s team, but also as a former full Division I member from 2012 to 2019, during which time it added several new programs."

At no point has LU ever been a DI athletic department, except for Women's Hockey, Men's Volleyball, and technically Gymnastics. The school joined NCAA DII after moving from the NAIA in 2012 as a member Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, in 2019 they moved into the DII Great Lakes Valley Conference.

 

[BOS358]

And now the Lindenwood student newspaper has run with it. Either this was the major scoop for a certain hockey blogger or aspiring journalists will soon get another painful reminder on why you shouldn't rush to break a big story..

 

[SemireliableSource]

I wouldn't even say "and now." The dateline on that is over a month and a half ago.

 

[BOS358]

I wouldn't even say "and now." The dateline on that is over a month and a half ago.

Fair enough. The NAHL's tweet was the first we have seen on it, so we, or at least I, thought the whole thing had just broken. USCHO and CHN had never touched the story.

And now (see what I did there ) I'm wondering if "Lindenwood goes varsity" has come and gone.

 

[JMCx4]

I wouldn't even say "and now." The dateline on that is over a month and a half ago.

Not long before @mk80 broke the news in our 2020-21 Div I thread. Will the REAL "Dominic Hoscher, Sports Editor" please stand up?

 

[CrazyEddie20]

USCHO and CHN had never touched the story.

There's probably a pretty good reason they haven't.

 

[BOS358]

There's probably a pretty good reason they haven't.

I can probably guess what that reason is. It wouldn't be the first time that Jeff Cox has told a whopper on Twitter.

 

[SemireliableSource]

Atlantic Hockey is considering expansion. Could add one, two, or three teams but I think we can all agree that one or three is more likely than two. UAH will seek membership, LIU is an obvious option, and CHN makes sure to point out that Navy was close in the beforetimes.

 

[JMCx4]

[Removed as duplicate news ... @SemireliableSource scooped me by 4 minutes. I feel shame.]

 

[mk80]

I wouldn't even say "and now." The dateline on that is over a month and a half ago.

Fair enough. The NAHL's tweet was the first we have seen on it, so we, or at least I, thought the whole thing had just broken. USCHO and CHN had never touched the story.

And now (see what I did there ) I'm wondering if "Lindenwood goes varsity" has come and gone.

The Lindenwood student newspaper article is from the round of tweets discussing the move from back in February when Jeff Cox, Andy Strickland (local Fox Sports Midwest Contributor), and others started putting it out. CHN did have a tweet at the time I’ll have to go back and find but didn’t do an article.

Not long before @mk80 broke the news in our 2020-21 Div I thread. Will the REAL "Dominic Hoscher, Sports Editor" please stand up?

Well I can confirm he and I are two different people. I graduated in 2017, and despite being in the communication program never got involved with the school paper, minus the one time I appeared as LU mascot “Leo The Lion” in a music video they shot for something...

Overall at this point for Lindenwood it’s not a matter of if but when they announce. The Wichita Falls press release on the LU commitment also essentially confirms the TBA move by LU: Forward Jackson Wozniak Commits to Lindenwood University


The Atlantic Hockey expansion is interesting, UAH needs to find a conference as part of being able to keep their program. It would also help cut down the UAH hockey budget which i think is a goal for them. LIU is a natural fit within the existing footprint and they already had the scheduling agreement with the conference. And the CHN article has that interesting nugget of info on Navy, who were set back by the pandemic (who knows for how long when it comes to government).

 

[JMCx4]

... Overall at this point for Lindenwood it’s not a matter of if but when they announce. The Wichita Falls press release on the LU commitment also essentially confirms the TBA move by LU: Forward Jackson Wozniak Commits to Lindenwood University

"... I’m excited to be a part of something very special at Lindenwood." He must've heard it was an up-and-coming party school - the Syracuse of the Midwest.

 

[S E P H]

I can probably guess what that reason is. It wouldn't be the first time that Jeff Cox has told a whopper on Twitter.

There's a lot of smoke concerning LU, which means there has to be fire somewhere in there. However, I am curious how reliable Cox is because I believe these new rumours came from his "source" first. When it comes to NCAAH expansion, there seems to be more optimism in the fanbase leading to some ill info like Bucci and how he "claimed" that Fighting Illi would have a team. I think it's just a matter of time before they, Navy, and LU all eventually get one (when is a bigger issue).

 

[mk80]

Lindenwood is definitely filling up their roster now:

LU gets another commitment from Wichita Falls. Adisen Brueck is from St. Louis, so going onto play close close to home.


Plus 1 from Kenai River

 

[JMCx4]

These boys have CLEARLY ignored what their current League announced a/b the L'wood DI entry ... "New NCAA Division I program in 2022-23." Are they hoping to get early dibs on the best locker spaces @ Centene Ice?

 

[mk80]

These boys have CLEARLY ignored what their current League announced a/b the L'wood DI entry ... "New NCAA Division I program in 2022-23." Are they hoping to get early dibs on the best locker spaces @ Centene Ice?

It's similar to what ASU and Penn State did in their hybrid years. Bring in some NCAA level guys to mix in with your best current ACHA players for the hybrid year, that helps time your senior classes going forward, get them acclimated into your program and college hockey, then start into the full NCAA seasons.

 

[S E P H]

What is the percentage that these players would sign for a university that - at this current point in time - haven't even revealed that they're D1? Or are they talking about D1 in a ACHA sense?

 

[BOS358]

There's a lot of smoke concerning LU, which means there has to be fire somewhere in there. However, I am curious how reliable Cox is because I believe these new rumours came from his "source" first.

Jeff Cox was an SID at Merrimack and has a lot of contacts in college hockey, so he can be reliable. However, he has no doubt let his (undeserved) reputation as some hockey wizard get to his head, and coupled with his complete lack of accountability, has no concern over spreading rumors that his twitter followers will swallow hook, line, and sinker.

I am curious how reliable Cox is because I believe these new rumours came from his "source" first. When it comes to NCAAH expansion, there seems to be more optimism in the fanbase leading to some ill info like Bucci and how he "claimed" that Fighting Illi would have a team.

Buccigross wasn't the only one. Even the Chicago Tribune even ran with that before it fizzled out.

I think it's just a matter of time before they, Navy, and LU all eventually get one (when is a bigger issue).

Agreed, and I'll repeat it again and again: I hope it's sooner rather than later.

 

[mk80]

What is the percentage that these players would sign for a university that - at this current point in time - haven't even revealed that they're D1? Or are they talking about D1 in a ACHA sense?

There’s usually a fair amount of guys ok with coming in for a team’s hybrid year and getting started on school, etc. If you look at Penn State in the 12-13 and ASU in (15-16 I think was their hybrid season) they mostly had a full NCAA D1 caliber roster with some of their ACHA seniors mixed in. I would think with LU the bulk of the NCAA roster will be recruited next season but they’ll bring in a few guys for 21-22 aging out of juniors (2 of these announced 3 are) and probably a handful of local guys wanting to play close to home (1 of these 3 are).

Buccigross wasn't the only one. Even the Chicago Tribune even ran with that before it fizzled out.

I do believe this time around Illinois was actually going to add hockey. They had already announced a scheduled a press conference for the week after what became the covid shutdown week. And I guess based on the recent reports about Atlantic Hockey expansion Navy was close to.

We’ll see how much Covid set each one back. But the rumors about Illinois we’re definitely accurate this time last year pre-covid.

 

[JMCx4]

There’s usually a fair amount of guys ok with coming in for a team’s hybrid year and getting started on school, etc. If you look at Penn State in the 12-13 and ASU in (15-16 I think was their hybrid season) they mostly had a full NCAA D1 caliber roster with some of their ACHA seniors mixed in. I would think with LU the bulk of the NCAA roster will be recruited next season but they’ll bring in a few guys for 21-22 aging out of juniors (2 of these announced 3 are) and probably a handful of local guys wanting to play close to home (1 of these 3 are). ...

So do these "hybrid" guys typically receive scholarships commensurate with ACHA vs. NCAA DI athletics, or are there no differences?

 

[mk80]

So do these "hybrid" guys typically receive scholarships commensurate with ACHA vs. NCAA DI athletics, or are there no differences?

You've stumped me on that one. I'm honestly not sure how their scholarship money would work for next season. The ACHA players receive an academic grant, and scholarship money on that end but obviously none for athletics directly.

Some of our other many knowledgeable posters here might know better, but I'll have to check into it.

 

[BOS358]

Some of our other many knowledgeable posters here might know better, but I'll have to check into it.

I believe that when a program is in its "hybrid year," it is considered a full-fledged varsity program, it is under the administration of the athletic department, and the players are eligible for scholarships.

EDIT: This was my impression from a few players I knew from Penn State. I am not an authority on the matter, I am not an NCAA compliance officer, and the conversation happened a few years ago, so I could be mistaken.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

You've stumped me on that one. I'm honestly not sure how their scholarship money would work for next season. The ACHA players receive an academic grant, and scholarship money on that end but obviously none for athletics directly.

Some of our other many knowledgeable posters here might know better, but I'll have to check into it.

You have a maximum of 18 scholarships you can hand out any way you wish*. There will be some who get nothing. There will be some who get something. Legitimate incoming Division I recruits who they want to keep around for four years will get schollies. Club kids just playing out the string until they graduate won't get much, if anything. Scholarships are only for one year at a time, so if you have, say, six seniors on a roster of 28, you can divide up some of those 18 scholarships for that year among them, and then the next year, those scholarships can go to incoming freshmen.

*Provided, of course, that the school can establish and endow those 18 scholarships. If not, well, good luck.

 

[BOS358]

Worth noting that Chris Heisenberg's recruiting site appears to have started tracking Lindenwood's recruits.

Also, I saw this on the junior boards but didn't want to derail the NAHL thread, Lindenwood managed to pass an important milestone without having a varsity program: having a player bolt for major junior.