More on the UNO situation.

Here is the latest on UNO's possible membership in the WCHA. It also looks like UNO could/will have some possible competition for the 12th and final spot because McLeod mentioned that other teams had contacted him about possible membership in the WCHA. It would be interesting to know which other teams have contacted the WCHA about membership.

Alberts is also investigating a possible move from the Central Collegiate Hockey Association to the WCHA. The WCHA is seeking a program to pair with Bemidji State as candidates to create a 12-team league. It was rumored that WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod was in Omaha last week to speak with school officials.

When contacted Satur?day in Denver, McLeod would only say that the WCHA has had contact with Omaha and is in the preliminary stages of talking about possible membership in the league. He also noted that the WCHA has been contacted by other schools about admission.

During WCHA meetings in April in Marco Island, Fla., Bemidji State made a presentation to the league, but no vote on admission was taken, although a straw poll vote was reportedly 5-5. Schools making application need eight of 10 votes to gain admission.

The 10-team WCHA gave McLeod the OK to negotiate with potential members if needed, and it’s believed that there will be some bargaining with Bemidji State and Omaha. The league has indicated that new teams would not begin league play until 2011-12, however it’s likely neither school would want to wait that long. Also, in the WCHA criteria for consideration of admission, it’s noted that new schools do not share in WCHA postseason revenue during the first three years of membership, which wouldn’t appeal to any financially strapped athletic program.

The per-school share from the 2009 WCHA Final Five, which isn’t officially totaled, is estimated to be $91,000 or more, McLeod said.
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