MSUM considers D-I hockey
Urban Plains Center could be home to team. Minnesota State University Moorhead is considering launching an NCAA Division I hockey team and using the Urban Plains Center as a possible home, MSUM President Edna Szymanski said Monday.
Szymanski said no state money could be used to fund the proposal with the school and state facing a budget deficit.
“Not to explore it would be crazy,” Szymanski said. “This is a hockey community. It would help us increase our recognition in the region.”
MSUM athletic director Doug Peters said campus and community members began studying the idea after the Western Collegiate Hockey Association voted in January to lift a moratorium on adding teams.
“The time is right to take a look at it,” Peters said.
The WCHA is a 10-team league that includes the University of North Dakota and is widely regarded as one of the top ice hockey conferences in the country.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
MSU-M Dragon's Hockey.
I think I am going to call shenanigans on this one. I just don't see this happening. While I think realignment is on the way I don't see how MSU-M thinks they can get a college hockey team together that would even be remotely competitive in the WCHA let alone one of the lesser conferences. Immediately we hear the pontifications about Dean Blais coaching the team. Come on now! Also, I think the WCHA is going to expand to twelve teams but it won't include a team from the Fargo Moorhead area. I would rather see an established team like UAH, UNO or NMU than Moorhead State.
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Intersting take from Moorhead. They do have a valid point in that "this is the time to consider it." If they're budget is already strapped though, then how did they think they are going to fund it? As I've mentioned already, I would make it a criteria from the Beavers to find another team if they wanted in, so perhaps this has something to do with them? Maybe Moorhead is their "recruit."
ReplyDeleteId take MSUM over UAH anyday. Alabama Huntsville has about the same likelihood of succeeding in hockey as Barack Obama does in solving the economic crisis. The Fargo Moorhead area can generate a lot more revenue and players for that matter than Huntsville.
ReplyDeleteWell said Petes...Maybe they could apply for a bailout from the administration and then add ice hockey! Also I'd much rather have MSUM anyday, it'd be kind of cool to have another team close to use in the WCHA. Can you imagine a conference with UND, Bemidiji, MSU-Moorhead, that be fun. Of course we'd work them. UAH in the WCHA? What a joke. Have you seen there jersey's? Their team should just drop hockey.
ReplyDeleteAs a former MSUM alum I'm proud to say this is the stupidest idea I've ever heard.
ReplyDeleteThe great thing about the WCHA is that it is not the CCHA... so why are we trying to turn it into that.
Fargo is not, nor will it ever be a hockey town. The difference between Grand Forks and Fargo, while small geographically, in a hockey sense is like the difference between Winnipeg and Miami FL.
Agreed with Petes: Huntsville is not qualified to play in the WCHA geographically or competition-wise (and neither are the Beavers, but they make sense because of their location). Agreed with Chet as well: why are we trying to turn the best college hockey conference into the Cup Cake (CCHA) by adding these weak teams? One mistake though Chet: we are referring to Moorhead, not Fargo. Two different towns, one is in the great state of MN, one is not. Fargo has nothing to do with this.
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