Date Posted:15:59:37 05/18/04 Tue Author: matunuck Subject: here's the original piece w/ Regan quote In reply to:
Purple71
's message, "Re: Old Quote?" on 14:52:29 05/18/04 Tue
January 14, 2004
ECAC in HC's hockey future?
BYLINE: Dave Nordman
BODY:
The Holy Cross men's ice hockey team could join the ECAC next season, a move that would parade some of the most prestigious programs in the country through the Hart Center.
Harvard, Yale, RPI, Cornell, Dartmouth and Clarkson would all come to Worcester, along with Brown, Princeton, Colgate, St. Lawrence and Union. That's if the ECAC extends HC an invitation, which it is expected to do, and the college accepts.
A decision is expected by March, perhaps earlier.
''We are definitely potentially interested,'' Holy Cross athletic director Dick Regan said yesterday.
HC, a Division 3 member of the ECAC in women's hockey, has been a member of the Atlantic Hockey Conference (formerly the MAAC) since its inception in 1998. Before that, the Crusaders belonged to the ECAC East, then a Division 2 league.
''In the end, we'd only make a move if it makes sense for Holy Cross,'' Regan said. ''All we know at this point is that we are very interested and something should happen fairly soon.''
The ECAC began looking for a new team last week when the University of Vermont announced its decision to leave the 12-team conference for Hockey East beginning next season. The ECAC's six-member executive committee discussed the issue during a conference call yesterday.
''There's no guarantee that the ECAC will replace Vermont, but it's looking like they will,'' said Regan, who has discussed HC's possible inclusion with ECAC commissioner Phil Buttafuoco.
One source called HC's invitation ''a done deal.'' Another said, ''It's either Holy Cross or it's no one.''
On the surface, it looks like a no-brainer for the ECAC and HC- academically, competitively and financially.
''The schools in the ECAC are schools that Holy Cross has historically been aligned with,'' Crusaders coach Paul Pearl said. ''And it would be a natural thing for our hockey team to do the same.''
Would it be successful?
Union is the only non-Ivy League school in the ECAC that doesn't offer athletic scholarships (the rest offer 18), and the Dutchmen have had just two winning seasons since joining the league in 1991.
Pearl thinks HC could be competitive. After all, most Atlantic Hockey Conference teams offer 11 scholarships, and the Crusaders are 12-1-1 in the league this season (13-5-2 overall).
''What is a scholarship?'' Pearl asked. ''A scholarship is money, but I think if you do your homework, there are enough hockey players in North America that you can find the right students and the right hockey players to qualify for a decent amount of financial aid, or the right students that don't need the money.''
While HC doesn't need the money, that's what playing home games against the likes of Harvard, Cornell and Dartmouth would provide.
''Would a new league with better name recognition attract more fans? Sure it would,'' Pearl said.
Regan said there are no plans to upgrade the 1,700-seat Hart Center- it would be the smallest rink in the ECAC- but HC could play games at the Centrum.
''I laugh at that, when people say we need a bigger building,'' Pearl said. ''I've been in more beautiful buildings with more empty seats than I care to know. What's better? A 6,000-seat arena with 2,100 people, or a 1,400-seat arena with 1,300 people?''
The more important question for Holy Cross is: What is the future of the Atlantic Hockey Conference? Iona and Fairfield have already dropped their programs, and Army, AIC, Bentley, Canisius, Sacred Heart, UConn, Mercyhurst or Quinnipiac could join the ECAC if HC doesn't.
While that's unlikely, one or more of those teams could join College Hockey America, which must add a team (Findlay dropped its program) by next year to remain eligible for an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
''At least in the short-term, (joining the ECAC) looks like it would be a good move for us,'' Pearl said. ''But there would be no disappointment from our side if it didn't happen.''
After all, Holy Cross leads the Atlantic Hockey Conference standings, with the playoff champion receiving an NCAA berth.
''A new league would be great, our old league is great, the NHL is great. We'll join whatever league you tell us and we'll play,'' said Pearl, who'd rather focus on Saturday's game at Quinnipiac. ''I know our administrators are a lot more qualified than me to decide from a business standpoint where we belong.''
So is it better to be a good team (HC basketball) in a mediocre conference (Patriot League), or a mediocre team (which HC hockey could be at first) in a good conference (ECAC)?
''That's a good philosophical question,'' Regan said.
