Multiple sources in college and junior hockey, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the plan; one source told INCH that the university will make a formal announcement this Friday. A Penn State spokesperson late last week declined to comment on the matter.
Penn State Expected to Make Big Announcement Friday
Penn State Expected to Make Big Announcement Friday
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MACMAN
Re: Penn State Expected to Make Big Announcement Friday
I heard that, and that they have plans to move up their woman's team as well and have had talks with MSU, UofM and about joining the WCHA womans league.
"
September 12, 2010
Sources: Penn State Will Add Varsity Hockey
By Mike Eidelbes and Jess Myers
Penn StateIn a move that will significantly alter the college hockey landscape, the formal announcement of Penn State’s plans to launch of a men’s hockey program is imminent, sources tell Inside College Hockey.
Multiple sources in college and junior hockey, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the plan; one source told INCH that the university will make a formal announcement this Friday. A Penn State spokesperson late last week declined to comment on the matter.
With an enrollment of approximately 45,000 students at its State College campus, including nearly 39,000 undergraduates, Penn State would become the second-largest institution in the United States to offer Division I men’s college hockey—only Ohio State, with more than 52,000 students at its Columbus campus, is bigger. The Nittany Lions would become the 59th Division I men’s hockey program.
“It is great for the sport,” WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod said, while stopping short of confirming the plans. “A program of that stature to potentially add a Division I men’s hockey program is an exciting thing for the sport.”
While a university with the name recognition of Penn State adding a varsity program can only help the profile of college hockey, the impact on current conference configurations, especially the CCHA and WCHA, could be significant. Penn State would join Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, and Wisconsin as the sixth Big Ten Conference institution to sponsor varsity hockey. That’s the minimum number of schools required by the NCAA for a conference to award automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, and the Big Ten covets hockey for its wildly successful television network.
“At this point we’re not permitted to say a whole lot but we certainly acknowledge the fact that we have had direct contact from a WCHA standpoint with Penn State,” McLeod said. “We’re all well aware of the ramifications … of having a sixth Big Ten hockey school, and what that means for a lot of us.
“Behind the scenes the WCHA has done a lot of homework, had a good discussion with our coaches about the circumstances, and we’re trying to be proactive on a number of issues that are going to be the fallout from Penn State starting hockey.”
Last month, CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos told the Detroit News that the league was interested in adding Penn State as a 12th member. Because of its profile, location and success at the club-sport level, Penn State has long been identified as a potential candidate to add the sport at the varsity level.
“They are a very attractive choice—very attractive,” Anastos said. “They’re in a different market than we’re in, more and more U.S. players are on college rosters, and there’s tremendous growth of the sport in Pennsylvania.”
Penn State has long been rumored to be a candidate to add a varsity hockey program, but an article that appeared in the Altoona (Pa.) Mirror last month put that speculation into high gear. Citing a single anonymous source, the Mirror reported Penn State would add both men’s and women’s varsity ice hockey and build a new ice arena. The Penn State Ice Pavilion, the current home to the school’s club programs, can accommodate 1,350 fans. The Mirror report stated that the university would build a rink that would seat 6,000-8,000 people.
The state of Pennsylvania has already been home to one significant piece of offseason news: Pittsburgh and Philadelphia will host the 2013 and ’14 NCAA Frozen Fours. This announcement could have an even greater long-term impact on the sport.
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"
September 12, 2010
Sources: Penn State Will Add Varsity Hockey
By Mike Eidelbes and Jess Myers
Penn StateIn a move that will significantly alter the college hockey landscape, the formal announcement of Penn State’s plans to launch of a men’s hockey program is imminent, sources tell Inside College Hockey.
Multiple sources in college and junior hockey, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the plan; one source told INCH that the university will make a formal announcement this Friday. A Penn State spokesperson late last week declined to comment on the matter.
With an enrollment of approximately 45,000 students at its State College campus, including nearly 39,000 undergraduates, Penn State would become the second-largest institution in the United States to offer Division I men’s college hockey—only Ohio State, with more than 52,000 students at its Columbus campus, is bigger. The Nittany Lions would become the 59th Division I men’s hockey program.
“It is great for the sport,” WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod said, while stopping short of confirming the plans. “A program of that stature to potentially add a Division I men’s hockey program is an exciting thing for the sport.”
While a university with the name recognition of Penn State adding a varsity program can only help the profile of college hockey, the impact on current conference configurations, especially the CCHA and WCHA, could be significant. Penn State would join Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, and Wisconsin as the sixth Big Ten Conference institution to sponsor varsity hockey. That’s the minimum number of schools required by the NCAA for a conference to award automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, and the Big Ten covets hockey for its wildly successful television network.
“At this point we’re not permitted to say a whole lot but we certainly acknowledge the fact that we have had direct contact from a WCHA standpoint with Penn State,” McLeod said. “We’re all well aware of the ramifications … of having a sixth Big Ten hockey school, and what that means for a lot of us.
“Behind the scenes the WCHA has done a lot of homework, had a good discussion with our coaches about the circumstances, and we’re trying to be proactive on a number of issues that are going to be the fallout from Penn State starting hockey.”
Last month, CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos told the Detroit News that the league was interested in adding Penn State as a 12th member. Because of its profile, location and success at the club-sport level, Penn State has long been identified as a potential candidate to add the sport at the varsity level.
“They are a very attractive choice—very attractive,” Anastos said. “They’re in a different market than we’re in, more and more U.S. players are on college rosters, and there’s tremendous growth of the sport in Pennsylvania.”
Penn State has long been rumored to be a candidate to add a varsity hockey program, but an article that appeared in the Altoona (Pa.) Mirror last month put that speculation into high gear. Citing a single anonymous source, the Mirror reported Penn State would add both men’s and women’s varsity ice hockey and build a new ice arena. The Penn State Ice Pavilion, the current home to the school’s club programs, can accommodate 1,350 fans. The Mirror report stated that the university would build a rink that would seat 6,000-8,000 people.
The state of Pennsylvania has already been home to one significant piece of offseason news: Pittsburgh and Philadelphia will host the 2013 and ’14 NCAA Frozen Fours. This announcement could have an even greater long-term impact on the sport.
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sbkbghockey
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Re: Penn State Expected to Make Big Announcement Friday
We can welcome the newest CCHA school on Friday.
as far a women's from what I've heard they'll probably join the CHA (regional competition with Syracuse, Mercyhurst, and Robert Morris) plus in Women's hockey Mercyhurst has been one of the top teams. Plus the CHA women's league only has 5 members right now and adding 6 would be huge and prevent a downfall like the men's side.
as far a women's from what I've heard they'll probably join the CHA (regional competition with Syracuse, Mercyhurst, and Robert Morris) plus in Women's hockey Mercyhurst has been one of the top teams. Plus the CHA women's league only has 5 members right now and adding 6 would be huge and prevent a downfall like the men's side.
Re: Penn State Expected to Make Big Announcement Friday
Well you didn't want to believe my back in June, and then you laughed at my comments in August but it now looks like my source was correct. My brother in law works for the athletic dept at PSU. He told me months ago that Penn State would be a Div 1 program next year and look for a short term conference because the Big 10 would be creating its own hockey conference for the 2013-14 season. Just talked with my brother in law a few minutes ago and that is the plan. The Big 10 will have its own hockey conference in 3 years and therefore breaking up the CCHA. I will revisit this topic in three years and say I told you so. BG better make strides the next two years because we will need to impress people to find a new home once the CCHA is ripped apart.
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Falcon Fanatic
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Re: Penn State Expected to Make Big Announcement Friday
gmartin wrote:Penn State would be a Div 1 program next year and look for a short term conference because the Big 10 would be creating its own hockey conference for the 2013-14 season.
"Regarding BGSU, I would think their biggest strength is that they never give up, They never slow down and they battle hard even after the other team scores. We have to be on our game and never, ever take the foot off the gas for a second."
~~USCHO Poster
"BG was relentless. It's like they know that a good first pass on the breakout from a defenseman will almost always result in an odd-man rush against them - but they go in anyway and dare you to make that pass. All three of their goals were just grit and effort. That's a team any fan can be proud to support...they give all they've got."
~~USCHO Poster, AFTER Tech beat us
#NeverGiveUp
#NeverSurrender
#Relentless
#Resiliant
~~USCHO Poster
"BG was relentless. It's like they know that a good first pass on the breakout from a defenseman will almost always result in an odd-man rush against them - but they go in anyway and dare you to make that pass. All three of their goals were just grit and effort. That's a team any fan can be proud to support...they give all they've got."
~~USCHO Poster, AFTER Tech beat us
#NeverGiveUp
#NeverSurrender
#Relentless
#Resiliant
Re: Penn State Expected to Make Big Announcement Friday
There is a way to prevent it. The other 53 schools need to band together and simply say "form a Big Ten conference and none of us will play you." All 53 schools need to resist the potential for a big money game for a few years and let them get bored playing 34 games a year against each other.Falcon Fanatic wrote:gmartin wrote:Penn State would be a Div 1 program next year and look for a short term conference because the Big 10 would be creating its own hockey conference for the 2013-14 season.
Phi or Die
Re: Penn State Expected to Make Big Announcement Friday
The Big Ten, Eleven, Twelve, whatever it is now is not good for anything.MACMAN wrote:IT will be good for hockey.
Phi or Die
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Falcon Fanatic
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- Location: BG
Re: Penn State Expected to Make Big Announcement Friday
Sorry MACMAN, but I disagree on this one. I see a big ten conference as the precurser to a BCS type thing happening in hockey. The one thing that has always been good about D-1 hockey is that small schools, who have D1 hockey programs, have the same opportunity to win a National Championship as the big $$$/BCS football schools, which is something that will never happen in D1 football. To me, D1 hockey has opportunities that D1 football will never have for small/mid-major schools.MACMAN wrote:IT will be good for hockey.
"Regarding BGSU, I would think their biggest strength is that they never give up, They never slow down and they battle hard even after the other team scores. We have to be on our game and never, ever take the foot off the gas for a second."
~~USCHO Poster
"BG was relentless. It's like they know that a good first pass on the breakout from a defenseman will almost always result in an odd-man rush against them - but they go in anyway and dare you to make that pass. All three of their goals were just grit and effort. That's a team any fan can be proud to support...they give all they've got."
~~USCHO Poster, AFTER Tech beat us
#NeverGiveUp
#NeverSurrender
#Relentless
#Resiliant
~~USCHO Poster
"BG was relentless. It's like they know that a good first pass on the breakout from a defenseman will almost always result in an odd-man rush against them - but they go in anyway and dare you to make that pass. All three of their goals were just grit and effort. That's a team any fan can be proud to support...they give all they've got."
~~USCHO Poster, AFTER Tech beat us
#NeverGiveUp
#NeverSurrender
#Relentless
#Resiliant
Re: Penn State Expected to Make Big Announcement Friday
But let's be realistic here... how many big schools have hockey? The biggest D1 hockey schools are Big Ten schools. A BCS type system will never happen in hockey. How can you even think that? It hasn't happened in basketball, has it? They still play an elimination style tournament. And there are PLENTY more schools with basketball than hockey.Falcon Fanatic wrote:Sorry MACMAN, but I disagree on this one. I see a big ten conference as the precurser to a BCS type thing happening in hockey. The one thing that has always been good about D-1 hockey is that small schools, who have D1 hockey programs, have the same opportunity to win a National Championship as the big $$$/BCS football schools, which is something that will never happen in D1 football. To me, D1 hockey has opportunities that D1 football will never have for small/mid-major schools.MACMAN wrote:IT will be good for hockey.
So what... a Big Ten conference will break up the CCHA. The WCHA will be losing two schools if that happens, and I'm sure they would likely accept the CCHA leftovers... or at least some of them.
More attention to college hockey isn't a bad thing, folks. I don't think it will ever be mainstream enough to garner a "BCS" style playoff system and the thought that it would is completely unfounded.
Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba Photographer
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Falcon Fanatic
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Re: Penn State Expected to Make Big Announcement Friday
Agree that the reality of a BCS type thing happening isn't very good, but the idea that the big ten MONEY schools having their own conference...ugh....just don't like it. Period. MY own opinion only!
"Regarding BGSU, I would think their biggest strength is that they never give up, They never slow down and they battle hard even after the other team scores. We have to be on our game and never, ever take the foot off the gas for a second."
~~USCHO Poster
"BG was relentless. It's like they know that a good first pass on the breakout from a defenseman will almost always result in an odd-man rush against them - but they go in anyway and dare you to make that pass. All three of their goals were just grit and effort. That's a team any fan can be proud to support...they give all they've got."
~~USCHO Poster, AFTER Tech beat us
#NeverGiveUp
#NeverSurrender
#Relentless
#Resiliant
~~USCHO Poster
"BG was relentless. It's like they know that a good first pass on the breakout from a defenseman will almost always result in an odd-man rush against them - but they go in anyway and dare you to make that pass. All three of their goals were just grit and effort. That's a team any fan can be proud to support...they give all they've got."
~~USCHO Poster, AFTER Tech beat us
#NeverGiveUp
#NeverSurrender
#Relentless
#Resiliant
Re: Penn State Expected to Make Big Announcement Friday
The Big Ten has no interest in forming their own hockey league. They get revenue from the schools through the athletic departments and Big Ten Network without having to put any money of their own into it. Plus they wouldn't allow any other schools that weren't full-time Big Ten members to join on a one-sport basis and having six teams wouldn't be a sufficient number for a hockey conference. The CCHA is safe for a number of years yet and we don't have to worry about it becoming "BCS" style anytime soon.
BG '10
Attended more games than any responsible student should have.
Attended more games than any responsible student should have.
Re: Penn State Expected to Make Big Announcement Friday
Actually 6 teams is the minimum number to be eligible for an automatic bid for the Frozen Four tournament.
Check out our new BGSU hockey site: http://www.bgsuhockey.com
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BGFalconfromCincy
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Re: Penn State Expected to Make Big Announcement Friday
Just wanted to pass this along from a person affiliated with Miami hockey on another message board I visit when I asked him about this subject
The Penn State people were in Oxford about two months ago to tour our facility. They are going D1 probably by the 2013-2014 season. I'm not sure how familiar you are or other readers are but Penn State received a donation of 80 million from an alumnus to build a new hockey arena (guy sold his natual gas business to Shell for 4.7 Billion). Having a fully donated arena set in motion the events that they wanted for some time now but were blocked by the political forces of Joe Paterno, moving to D1. They were going to wait till JoePa kicked the bucket to make the move and use football money to build the arena but now they don't have to wait. They will also move up to D1 in womens hockey to remain title IX compliant.
As for the conferences. They will not play in the CCHA. They are going straight into the new six team Big Ten hockey conference. That will leave the CCHA with 8 teams and the WCHA back to 10 teams.
It's not just a possibility, it's happening.
BGSU c/o 2009 & 2013
Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba, because that's how I roll
Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba, because that's how I roll
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sbkbghockey
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Re: Penn State Expected to Make Big Announcement Friday
Even if the Big 10 does form a hockey conference the CCHA and WCHA will survive. there will be other schools that can add hockey in. Lindenwood University near St. Louis a new Division II school (full member in 2013), it's the second largest private school in Missouri to SLU (SLU's a previous CCHA school for trivia lovers). LU has a lot of $$$ and is adding women's hockey to NCAA sports now, and men's will follow within 5 years. Other schools that could potentially join the CCHA would be Grand Valley State in Michigan and If I was the CCHA I'd look at University of Evansville. They're building a nice new arena in Evansville and it's going to be multipurpose with ice making equipment. There's always Alabama-Huntsville out there too.
The WCHA would look at MSU Moorhead they've been talking about hockey for a long time. And the WCHA could reach out to a team like Iowa State. They've had a non-NCAA team as long as Penn State and rumors just as long. Also Iowa State is a nice addition with UNO and is right in USHL recruiting territory so would have no problem getting players.
In short: look for both leagues to survive and continue having success!
The WCHA would look at MSU Moorhead they've been talking about hockey for a long time. And the WCHA could reach out to a team like Iowa State. They've had a non-NCAA team as long as Penn State and rumors just as long. Also Iowa State is a nice addition with UNO and is right in USHL recruiting territory so would have no problem getting players.
In short: look for both leagues to survive and continue having success!
