NCAA Hockey Expansion Thread

[S E P H]

Sorry your husband was a losing coach, Mrs. Zombo.



Look! Pie! Up there in the sky!

All this talk of hypotheticals and what it would take is ridiculous. It's literally wishcasting crossed with fever dreams and masturbation.

Arizona has had access to a rink for decades but never started a real college hockey program. Why?

UNLV has had access to a building with an ice plant for 41 years but never started a real college hockey program. Why?

Southern California literally had a rink that hosted NHL games across the street from the campus from 1959 until 2016 but never started a real college hockey program. Why?

It's a three-fold answer: 1) There's no money because the athletic budget is devoted to football, basketball, and not getting sued under Title IX. 2) There's not significant enough interest among fans, donors, or alumni. 3) Without the draw of the school's traditional opponents, the sport is going to have a lot of trouble drawing fans, and a program that costs $1+ million a year to operate is going to immediately be in the hole if they can't draw fans. A program that's losing six figures a year at a power conference school is a program that is going to be cut.

The only reason ASU has a team is that Don Lewin's kid wanted to play real college hockey, so he wrote an enormous check.

Even if North Carolina's hockey boosters build a rink, I don't see real college hockey happening in Chapel Hill. It's not just the rink that needs funding, it's the operating budget. And UNC won't draw flies unless they're playing ACC or otherwise big name southern opponents.

And no school in Florida has expressed any interest in starting a real college hockey program. The most likely candidate would be FGCU, which could share Hertz Arena with the Everblades, but again: Where's the money going to come from?

No big name school like Florida, Florida State, UCF, or Miami (Fla.) is just going to throw a program together a la Stonehill, Lindenwood, or LIU. Why? It hurts their athletic brand to have a thrown-together program that stumbles for several years out of the gate. Alumni and donors would be PISSED if they gave the school a six- or seven-figure check only for the school to win 13 games (five wins against Stonehill!) in the first two seasons like Lindenwood did.

When your brand has significant value, as any power conference school's athletic teams do, you don't do things by half measures. If it's worth doing, you do it right or you don't do it so you don't alienate alumni and donors. That's just a big a barrier to fanboi expansionist fever dreams as money.

All valid reasons, but you're taking this stuff way too seriously mate. Of course, any expansion stuff will be cloud IX orgasm. And again, any SE expansion would be like 20 to 40 years in the making and even those numbers might be too early. Don't think I am proposing it because I ain't, all I am looking at is if expansion did happen, it would be for the reasons I mentioned above (i.e. 4-5 teams all starting it at the same time). I can't see Auburn, Bama, UF, FSU, Clemson, and others just starting one DI out of nowhere. I think Georgia Tech probably has the best bet, but I don't see how their AD would see them on an island and approve such a programme. The only exception is if ACC decides to start one, but they have big problems of their own, they're looking to do their best to retain teams and are not close to thinking of expansion of any sport any time soon. We all know that the best bet for these Power 5 schools to get a programme is to get a sugar daddy like Pegula. Few will ever do it properly compared to the likes of how Lindenwood and LIU did it.

 

[S E P H]

What's happening in the expansion realm on the other side of the DI slate ...
-----------------------------------------------
From: MLive.com > Wolverines

To add to this...

Delaware adding D1 women's hockey in 2025

The University of Delaware is adding a women's hockey program that will join the College Hockey America conference and will begin playing in the 2025-26 season.

www.espn.com

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

All valid reasons, but you're taking this stuff way too seriously mate. Of course, any expansion stuff will be cloud IX orgasm. And again, any SE expansion would be like 20 to 40 years in the making and even those numbers might be too early. Don't think I am proposing it because I ain't, all I am looking at is if expansion did happen, it would be for the reasons I mentioned above (i.e. 4-5 teams all starting it at the same time). I can't see Auburn, Bama, UF, FSU, Clemson, and others just starting one DI out of nowhere. I think Georgia Tech probably has the best bet, but I don't see how their AD would see them on an island and approve such a programme. The only exception is if ACC decides to start one, but they have big problems of their own, they're looking to do their best to retain teams and are not close to thinking of expansion of any sport any time soon. We all know that the best bet for these Power 5 schools to get a programme is to get a sugar daddy like Pegula. Few will ever do it properly compared to the likes of how Lindenwood and LIU did it.

any ACC Hockey expansion will not include Boston College..... as long as Hockey East exists.... posters forget BC is the northernmost ACC School

 

[S E P H]

any ACC Hockey expansion will not include Boston College..... as long as Hockey East exists.... posters forget BC is the northernmost ACC School

They might be forced to as the Big10 schools were. I hate both teams, but the best rivalry I've seen including professional sports was between North Dakota and Minnesota, and those games got neutered because of Big10.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

All valid reasons, but you're taking this stuff way too seriously mate. Of course, any expansion stuff will be cloud IX orgasm. And again, any SE expansion would be like 20 to 40 years in the making and even those numbers might be too early. Don't think I am proposing it because I ain't, all I am looking at is if expansion did happen, it would be for the reasons I mentioned above (i.e. 4-5 teams all starting it at the same time). I can't see Auburn, Bama, UF, FSU, Clemson, and others just starting one DI out of nowhere. I think Georgia Tech probably has the best bet, but I don't see how their AD would see them on an island and approve such a programme. The only exception is if ACC decides to start one, but they have big problems of their own, they're looking to do their best to retain teams and are not close to thinking of expansion of any sport any time soon. We all know that the best bet for these Power 5 schools to get a programme is to get a sugar daddy like Pegula. Few will ever do it properly compared to the likes of how Lindenwood and LIU did it.

It might be a "cloud IX orgasm" for expansionist fart-sniffers like yourself, but it would also essentially continue the arson upon college hockey that started with Penn State starting a program and led to massive conference realignment and spiraling costs, pushing traditional college hockey schools closer to oblivion. The majority of college hockey fans and programs don't want further expansion. They don't want to see programs with long traditions in Division I disappear.

So if you aren't proposing it, what exactly are you doing by spouting your idiotic theories?

You are right that few will do it the way Stonehill, Lindenwood and LIU did. No power conference school will ever do it that way - it's a model for low-budget schools who are desperate for any kind of athletic PR boost they can get. Arizona State didn't even do it as well as they could have, considering they kept the club clown coach and played in a practice rink for several years.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

They might be forced to as the Big10 schools were. I hate both teams, but the best rivalry I've seen including professional sports was between North Dakota and Minnesota, and those games got neutered because of Big10.

disagree

 

[mk80]

This one aged well, didn’t it?

You’re probably not going to like my answer.

But yes for the most part I’d say it has aged well. Since that post the school has added D1 men’s hockey and going into their 3rd NCAA D1 season. The university endowment has grown since I made that post, and their athletic department fundraising has as well, surpassing fundraising goals the last few years, although there is certainly room to improve the contribution totals even further. Hockey has stayed despite the axe coming down in some places campus wide. And the university has submitted more bids to host future hockey regionals, and Frozen Fours which shows a willingness to support hockey moving forward, a school is not bidding to host events for a sport it doesn’t sponsor. Publicly at least the administration has stated their support for hockey and the fact it gives the athletic department a unique offering among its peers and other schools in the region, maybe there’s a different attitude behind closed doors I’m not sure.

I think there is still room for improvement for the program on and off the ice. But ultimately hockey was not on the chopping block when the axe came down. Whether men’s hockey at LU is D1 for 10 years or 100 years remains to be seen, but I’m not going to plan a funeral for it now.

 

[CrazyEddie20]

You’re probably not going to like my answer.

But yes for the most part I’d say it has aged well. Since that post the school has added D1 men’s hockey and going into their 3rd NCAA D1 season. The university endowment has grown since I made that post, and their athletic department fundraising has as well, surpassing fundraising goals the last few years, although there is certainly room to improve the contribution totals even further. Hockey has stayed despite the axe coming down in some places campus wide. And the university has submitted more bids to host future hockey regionals, and Frozen Fours which shows a willingness to support hockey moving forward, a school is not bidding to host events for a sport it doesn’t sponsor. Publicly at least the administration has stated their support for hockey and the fact it gives the athletic department a unique offering among its peers and other schools in the region, maybe there’s a different attitude behind closed doors I’m not sure.

I think there is still room for improvement for the program on and off the ice. But ultimately hockey was not on the chopping block when the axe came down. Whether men’s hockey at LU is D1 for 10 years or 100 years remains to be seen, but I’m not going to plan a funeral for it now.

I mean, ok. Lindenwood has a bare bones Division I hockey program now. They didn't then.

They were terrible the first two years, fired the coach, and now actually have someone with a good idea of the talent level in Division I, so maybe Muckalt will do a little better thank Ricky Rubber Stamp. Is there room for improvement? Sure. Will they get there? I doubt it. They've done nothing to show that men's hockey is a "tent-pole program." They couldn't be bothered to actually consult with schools that have Division I hockey and/or schools that started up programs recently to figure out what they'd need and what works - or if they did, they didn't listen.

Even though the school's endowment and athletic fundraising are up, only one of those goes towards improving the hockey program, and hockey is in line behind football and men's and women's basketball. It's the No. 4 sport on campus, and it can't possibly be revenue positive. I'd bet for that reason alone the attitude is different behind closed doors.

 

[Bonk]

Long overdue.

Agreed. It's unfair that I've only hated the men that play hockey there all these years.

 

[JMCx4]

To add to this...

Delaware adding D1 women's hockey in 2025

The University of Delaware is adding a women's hockey program that will join the College Hockey America conference and will begin playing in the 2025-26 season.

www.espn.com

The ink was barely dry on the UD women's program elevation to DI when they were assigned to their second conference. Truly a whirlwind introduction to their new hockey homeland.

 

[mk80]

Folks I think we are getting a bit off the rails here.

@JMCx4 has noted the Blue Hens on the women's side, there's some others that I don't believe have been mentioned at the DIII level with Misericordia, and St. John's Fisher coming online

Misericordia to Add Men's Ice Hockey for 2024-25 Season

The MAC will increase to six men's programs in 2024-25

gomacsports.com

Spring 2024 | New NCAA Division III Hockey Teams - St. John Fisher University

www.sjf.edu

There's a passing mention of NCAA hockey out of Austin Peay in Clarksville, TN who is adding a club team in College Hockey South. But it's only one line in local news article, and it comes across as mostly blue sky from the AD, so I wouldn't put a rubber stamp on it happening.

APSU announces new club hockey team, first step toward NCAA-sanctioned sport, at Ford Ice Center - ClarksvilleNow.com

Austin Peay State University announced on Wednesday they have partnered with the Nashville Predators and Sabertooth Sports & Entertainment to welcome a new club hockey team to Clarksville’s Ford Ice Center.

clarksvillenow.com

They do at least check the arena box, as the city, university, and Predators partnered to open F&M Bank Arena which is the new home to the Governor's basketball program, there's an attached community rink that will be the current host of Govs hockey.

That sums up the amount of news for college hockey expansion.

 

[S E P H]

There's a passing mention of NCAA hockey out of Austin Peay in Clarksville, TN who is adding a club team in College Hockey South. But it's only one line in local news article, and it comes across as mostly blue sky from the AD, so I wouldn't put a rubber stamp on it happening.

AP was rumoured wanting to make a club team about 5-6 years ago, so glad they actually followed through with it.

Supposedly Tenn State actually wants to start a DI team in two years, WTF? The head coach was at these Black-orientated hockey camps the last couple of weeks to scout for players.

 

[JMCx4]

... Supposedly Tenn State actually wants to start a DI team in two years, WTF? The head coach was at these Black-orientated hockey camps the last couple of weeks to scout for players.

With ancient apologies to Lao Tzu ... "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one camp." If you don't count the program's first recruit.

AND.........you can now order your own replica jersey: Tennessee State University Hockey Gear.

 

[S E P H]

With ancient apologies to Lao Tzu ... "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one camp." If you don't count the program's first recruit.

AND.........you can now order your own replica jersey: Tennessee State University Hockey Gear.

Their jersey is pretty lit though, so I approve as it isn't a Pejorative Slured basketball-style lack of creation rubbish copy and pasted on a hockey jersey. Boston University could have the worst jerseys I've ever seen in my life for that reason.

 

[ChuckLefley]

Their jersey is pretty lit though, so I approve as it isn't a Pejorative Slured basketball-style lack of creation rubbish copy and pasted on a hockey jersey. Boston University could have the worst jerseys I've ever seen in my life for that reason.

it’s just a Rangers jersey with their tiger head. How is that “lit” and not “lack of creation copy and pasted?”

 

[S E P H]

it’s just a Rangers jersey with their tiger head. How is that “lit” and not “lack of creation copy and pasted?”

Because it has an actual logo and isn't "North" "insert number here" "Dakota" or "Denver" "insert number here" or "Massachusetts" "insert number here," do you want me to go on? It's basketball rubbish.

 

[JMCx4]

it’s just a Rangers jersey with their tiger head. How is that “lit” and not “lack of creation copy and pasted?”

Because it uses ground-breaking 20th Century die sublimation technology?

 

[Bonk]

Folks I think we are getting a bit off the rails here.

@JMCx4 has noted the Blue Hens on the women's side, there's some others that I don't believe have been mentioned at the DIII level with Misericordia, and St. John's Fisher coming online

Misericordia to Add Men's Ice Hockey for 2024-25 Season

The MAC will increase to six men's programs in 2024-25

gomacsports.com

Spring 2024 | New NCAA Division III Hockey Teams - St. John Fisher University

www.sjf.edu

There's a passing mention of NCAA hockey out of Austin Peay in Clarksville, TN who is adding a club team in College Hockey South. But it's only one line in local news article, and it comes across as mostly blue sky from the AD, so I wouldn't put a rubber stamp on it happening.

APSU announces new club hockey team, first step toward NCAA-sanctioned sport, at Ford Ice Center - ClarksvilleNow.com

Austin Peay State University announced on Wednesday they have partnered with the Nashville Predators and Sabertooth Sports & Entertainment to welcome a new club hockey team to Clarksville’s Ford Ice Center.

clarksvillenow.com

They do at least check the arena box, as the city, university, and Predators partnered to open F&M Bank Arena which is the new home to the Governor's basketball program, there's an attached community rink that will be the current host of Govs hockey.

That sums up the amount of news for college hockey expansion.

Let's go Peay!

 

[ChuckLefley]

Because it has an actual logo and isn't "North" "insert number here" "Dakota" or "Denver" "insert number here" or "Massachusetts" "insert number here," do you want me to go on? It's basketball rubbish.

Wow, they used their logo and another teams jersey design. Thats so much better than using their own jersey design and a word mark. /s

 

[mk80]

Let's go Peay!

Have to include the first part of "The fly is open, Let's Go Peay!" an automatic classic to bring into the college hockey student section world if it would ever happen.

Supposedly Tenn State actually wants to start a DI team in two years, WTF? The head coach was at these Black-orientated hockey camps the last couple of weeks to scout for players.

It's ambitious for sure. I'd like to see some more tangible progress from them, and still have my doubts at this point. They were supposed to have a club team up and running in time for this season, and they have jerseys, a coach, and one player. The bulk of recruiting for any college coach is going to be done by attending junior hockey showcases and games, and it doesn't seem like they've been present at any.

I hope it works out and would be good for the sport and growth of the game, but I'd like to see more from them.

 

[JMCx4]

Binghamton U has taken a step (or more) back, according to this WICZ-TV40 interview. NIL settlement turmoil is dashing a LOT of dreams across U.S. college sports ...

... (Binghamton University Athletic Director Gene Marshall) provided an update on the potential of bringing a men's and women's ice hockey team to Binghamton University, saying the discussion has been tabled at the moment and that a field hockey team is likely not coming to the department.

"We're probably not going to do field hockey. In a perfect world, we'd have men's and women's ice hockey," Marshall said. "We still have some logistics to work out. We still don't have an arena right now. So those are some of the logistics that have to work out in time. But at this moment, my focus is on the 21 teams that we have to continue to raise the bar. We have a new indoor practice facility that's going to open or be completed hopefully in November. We have the outdoor throwing area that's just about completed. We've done resident renovations in this building and so we've been pretty busy and we're going to keep hockey on the burner. We'll see how that goes. ..."

 

[JMCx4]

But Tennessee State U keeps leaning forward, slowly building a 2025-26 roster ,,,

https://x.com/i/web/status/1816966647963410937

 

[Bonk]

Miami should schedule TSU in an exhibition game to open the 2025-26 season. It would make good press to be the first-ever team to play the first-ever HBC hockey team.

MU and LU are the closest D-1 programs geographically.

 

[AUS Fan]

Fechko was a point-a-game in BCHL, AJHL and NAHL

 

[MeHateHe]

Sorry to resurrect Simon Fraser’s Quixotic self again, but they’re still talking about NCAA.

SFU names new executive athletic director — What's next for sports teams at the school?

Questions remain about staying in the NCAA, whether football team will be resurrected, and whether club hockey squad will get Varsity status

theprovince.com

The upshot is this: they finally hired an athletic director. The athletic department’s finances are a mess. The hockey team coach still wants to go to NCAA and a tie with BU somehow make the pipe dream credible.

More likely is that the new AD is going to pop the bubble of the hockey team coach, who will then find some other place to pursue his dream, and SFU will rejoin Canadian USports.