Bonk, damn good article! Now keep Miami the hell out of the Summit League! You think traveling is difficult now.
Purdue-Fort Wayne left the Summit League for the Horizon League. I think IUPUI was in the Summit League before they went to the Horizon League, too. I have no desire playing basketball games up in the Dakotas in January or other winter months. Mount Unpleasant is bad enough.
I tend to agree with the Prof. The only “horizon” I can see in that league looks like miles of bleakness in any direction.
From what it sounds like, we’d move to the summit league as an affiliate member for hockey? I guess I understand consolidating the administration under a single conference office, but I don’t think much would actually change. I’m not sure why we wouldn’t just keep the NCHC brand name too.
Interesting to hear that DS doesn’t want Arizona State. I get the travel difficulties but it is a team I think would be fun to play. Good to know that we will be playing an OOC series, not sure that had been announced before.
Sorry. Wrong pun from me. The only “summit” I can see that league looking like is the top of Rumpke dump. (Effortless. Just absolutely effortless.)
Yes, I don’t think Miami would leave the MAC in all sports just to join the Summit for hockey, just the scenario where the Summit adopts hockey and the MAC doesn’t (maybe both will?). And I agree that except for a few teams not much would change.
Fenton ran hockey in Oxford well and he ran the NCHC well. If finances allow I’d rather play more good teams in that league, given the choice.
Major sea change ahead apparently. Ohio and Kent used to have D1 hockey programs… Ohio still has competitive ACHA hockey. Akron and Kent could share a rink. Very long shot but a MAC conference makes more marketing sense than hockey only affiliation with the Sjmmit.
There is no way a school like Akron adopts hockey at this point with the school in full financial ruin.
It will be very interesting to see what happens in the next few years….
If the MAC has hockey it will be the 3 schools and a bunch of affiliate members
Things that surprise me:
-Northern Illinois has no hockey
-Buffalo has no hockey
-Toledo has no hockey
-Eastern Michigan has no hockey
Things that don’t surprise me:
-Ohio, Kent, Akron, and whoever else I’m forgetting in the MAC don’t have hockey.
Point being: we are almost at 8 teams if those that should would.
Arizona State hockey just might find itself playing Big Ten hockey with the way this realignment crap is going.
I think Arizona State ends up in B1G hockey regardless of the rest of realignment stuff.
When finances and Title IX come into play (and not even considering facilities), adding a men’s hockey program at most G5-type schools just doesn’t seem to work.
B1G schools have tons of alumni in Arizona who would love to see their schools play regularly at the Devils new on campus arena.
Totally agree. Especially in 2022. I’m just sort of shocked they don’t have teams already given the geographic footprints.
Berg and his team must be better this season . 14 or more wins min.
Discuss. Back to lurking.
Remind me the four that are from the Summit conference …
Denver, North Dakota, Omaha, St. Thomas. Lindenwood is an affiliate in men’s soccer and swimming/diving. https://thesummitleague.org/
Back to lurking.
And would they all pay us a exit fee of a $1million to leave the NCHC?