"Proposed" future ECAC

With LIU joining the D1 hockey ranks as an independent, one must wonder in which division the team will wind up. Its joining the ECAC could actually create some balance with the assumption that Penn fields a D1 team again within the next 10-15 years. If you look at potential travel partner alignments, it makes much sense.

Colgate-Cornell
Clarkson-St.Lawrence
RPI-Union
Dartmouth-Harvard
Brown-Quinnipiac/Yale
LIU-Quinnipiac/Yale
Penn-Princeton

I think Quinnipiac eventually joins Hockey East, to make that a 12 team league. 11 teams is awkward and they’re a good fit geographically as well as culturally (if you will).

Then maybe ECAC takes LIU to make the conference whole at 12. If and when Penn adds a team, maybe ECAC steals a Niagara or a Holy Cross from Atlantic.

One thing is for sure, there will continue to be shuffling as programs get cut and/or established.

LIU is an even worse academic fit for the ECAC than Q.

I can't imagine Penn bothering but if they did then I guess we might have a shot at expanding south, picking up Army and Navy, and somebody else to round off at 16.

But... why? I mean, really, why? The conference is fine as it is, its members are very stable, 11 of the schools have a common vision. Other than a few assholes' empire building, why fuck it up?

Trotsky
LIU is an even worse academic fit for the ECAC than Q.

I can't imagine Penn bothering but if they did then I guess we might have a shot at expanding south, picking up Army and Navy, and somebody else to round off at 16.

But... why? I mean, really, why? The conference is fine as it is, its members are very stable, 11 of the schools have a common vision. Other than a few assholes' empire building, why fuck it up?

Plus 12 is a good number. 14 is too much. ("13 is right out.)

I can't imagine that Penn will restart their program. I wish they would, but I can't imagine it happening.

Jeff Hopkins '82
I can't imagine that Penn will restart their program. I wish they would, but I can't imagine it happening.

I'd have said it was impossible ten years ago, but ASU, St. Thomas and LIU coming out of nowhere really surprised me.

St. Thomas makes some sort of sense anyway being in the heart of hockey country. I don't know what the fuck LIU is trying to do. And ASU -- well, I guess if you can't win in anything else...

Although I can't imagine the ECAC having any interest in adding a team, LIU has played Princeton and RPI twice each already and have two each against QU and Brown remaining. Then again their rink last weekend against RPI was more of a morgue than RPI's has been this year. They play in the Islanders' practice rink.

CU2007
I think Quinnipiac eventually joins Hockey East, to make that a 12 team league. 11 teams is awkward and they’re a good fit geographically as well as culturally (if you will).

Then maybe ECAC takes LIU to make the conference whole at 12. If and when Penn adds a team, maybe ECAC steals a Niagara or a Holy Cross from Atlantic.

Or better still, from my perspective, RIT

George64

CU2007
I think Quinnipiac eventually joins Hockey East, to make that a 12 team league. 11 teams is awkward and they’re a good fit geographically as well as culturally (if you will).

Then maybe ECAC takes LIU to make the conference whole at 12. If and when Penn adds a team, maybe ECAC steals a Niagara or a Holy Cross from Atlantic.

Or better still, from my perspective, RIT

I'd prefer RIT, academically, geographically, and the fanbase seems more fun too.

French Rage
I'd prefer RIT, academically, geographically, and the fanbase seems more fun too.

And the partnerships would be better.

Cornell - RIT
Colgate - Princeton
SLU - Clarkson
RPI - Union
Dartmouth - Harvard
Brown - Yale

Though, ideally:

Cornell - RIT
SLU - Clarkson
Colgate - RPI
Dartmouth - Harvard
Brown - Yale
Princeton - Penn

FWIW, RIT plays in the D-III Liberty League as do Clarkson,, RPI, SLU, and Union.

Quinnipiac has consistently said it's happy being in the ECAC. Personally, I can't see them leaving any time soon.

ursusminor
FWIW, RIT plays in the D-III Liberty League as do Clarkson,, RPI, SLU, and Union.

does it really matter since its really about the hockey and they play D1 in that?

ursusminor
FWIW, RIT plays in the D-III Liberty League as do Clarkson,, RPI, SLU, and Union.

I believe Bennett is attempting to bring Union back to D3 hockey.

upprdeck

ursusminor
FWIW, RIT plays in the D-III Liberty League as do Clarkson,, RPI, SLU, and Union.

does it really matter since its really about the hockey and they play D1 in that?

No. That is why I wrote "FWIW". I figured there were some here who did not know that. Most (all other?) college leagues do not have as long-term constant membership as the Ivy League.

RIT makes the most sense if there is ever a hole that needs to be filled. RIT and Union are on the precipice of being able to give scholarships.

it is interesting they allow clarkson/rpi to give them but dont allow a school to offer them like RIT when they jump to D1 when the goal is really to create more D1 hockey.

upprdeck
it is interesting they allow clarkson/rpi to give them but dont allow a school to offer them like RIT when they jump to D1 when the goal is really to create more D1 hockey.

I find it less interesting and more of a convoluted punishing monopolistic head scratcher that makes me thankful I'm not ever going to be involved in making such "decisions".

On the other hand I'm all for screwing Union. French Canadian linguist majors or whatever they're called are a source of glee.

upprdeck
it is interesting they allow clarkson/rpi to give them but dont allow a school to offer them like RIT when they jump to D1 when the goal is really to create more D1 hockey.

Over a decade ago, NCAA D-III wanted to stop allowing schools which played up to award scholarships in the sport in which they played up. The largest group which were affected played up in hockey, but there were others, e.g., Johns Hopkins in lacrosse. There were 5 schools playing up in hockey -- RPI, Clarkson, SLU, Union, and Colorado College. Union had chosen not to award scholarships and voted not to allow the others to either. The result was that schools which were awarding scholarships were allowed to continue to award them, but no new ones could do so. That is what affected RIT when it became D-I. The RPI women were not yet D-I, but were allowed to award them when they became D-I soon thereafter. Title IX had something to do with that. Some schools that were grandfathered have left D-I in their sport since then.

Anyway, D-III's goal isn't to create more D-I hockey.