The University of Findlay (Ohio) Oilers were the basketball team in question and hey, congratulations on your first national title.
But with Air Force beating Michigan and Bemidji State (Minn.) trouncing Notre Dame and Cornell in the Frozen Four tournament over the weekend, I couldn’t help but think of those players who suited up for the Oilers on the ice from 1999 to 2004, when Findlay was a member of College Hockey America (CHA), the dwindling conference that has also produced the Bemidji State Beavers. Those same Beavers are angling to join the powerhouse WCHA, leaving the CHA with just three members (Robert Morris, Niagara and Alabama-Huntsville). And based on the way the Beavers handled No. 1 Notre Dame and highly rated Cornell, it’s obvious the team knows how to compete with the big boys.
Findlay hockey died because of budget constraints, an all-too-familiar refrain these days, but a rough one when you read between the lines: the school would rather have a Division II basketball team than a Division I hockey team. In essence, they’d rather play Cal Poly Pomona on the hardwood than Notre Dame on the ice.
But hey – not my decision.
American college athletics are so exciting because of the atmospheres and because of the rivalries (think Wisconsin-Minnesota or Boston College-Boston U.). I’ve said this before, but it needs to be said again: More big schools are needed in NCAA hockey.
The talent is there. Powerhouses such as Wisconsin often over recruit and some players end up playing at Division III schools for a year until a roster spot opens up. And as we’ve seen with Air Force and Bemidji State, hockey is finding its Gonzagas and George Masons. The Falcons of Air Force, for example, were playing in their third straight Frozen Four tournament coming out of the Atlantic Hockey conference.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
NCAA upsets show why more teams necessary
Here was an interesting article that was in the THN.COM However the article is devoid of a few key facts. Lets clear up a couple of things up. First off; Robert Morris, Niagara have already found a conference the AHA and BSU and UAH are still looking for a new conference to call home. Second; Air Force was playing in their third straight NCAA regional they have never advanced to the Frozen Four.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This is a good insert there Goon. You bring up some very good points. That is pure stupidity that Findlay dropped D-1 hockey to keep D-2 basketball. Bad move by that school and they know it.
ReplyDeleteOk, Wisconsin might over recruit, but only two players in recent memory have gone to DIII schools and neither are coming back. Garrett Suter tried for 3 years to get into UW, but his grades never cut it, the spot was waiting for him. Travis Erstad was a head case, missed home, so returned to UW-Stevens Point to play for his old HS coach. The coaching staff was livid when Erstad made this decision they wanted him in Madison.
ReplyDeleteI despise when accuracy is THAT wrong. Neither of these had to do w/ over recruiting. There are some other examples that are pausible, but the DIII waiting for a spot at UW is f*cking stupid.
Findlay won a DII basketball championship this season, and I'm guessing that even at DII, they are making money there, while they probably lost a lot of money in hockey. I'm just saying, I would love to see 40 more DI NCAA hockey teams.
I put this up because this article was wrong in so many ways. If you're going to cover hockey at least know what you're writing about.
ReplyDelete