HIgh Point U to build an arena and start DI hockey

[NoDak]

For the wildly strange and then realistic schools mentioned:

1. Eau Claire won't leave D3 and the WIAC. Their newly approved arena will be a world class facility, but it does not mean at all that they want to go D1. They were a big reason why the WIAC started sponsoring hockey, they won't leave. They'll simply join the ranks of the laundry list of other NCAA D3 teams in having D1-calibre facilities.
   
2. I don't think Augustana has ever been mentioned for NCAA hockey, not sure where one even gets the idea. They've never even expressed interest in hockey in any form or ever been linked. Geographically they work, but that's not even the basis for a suggestion.
   
3. Minot State and UMary fit in geographically, but neither are in any position to go NCAA D1. There is a big difference between being a very good club team and being capable of rolling out a NCAA D1 program.
   
4. FGCU also has a good club team and a nearby D1 caliber facility that houses the ECHL Everblades, but the school has been hit with financial problems and won't be able to fund a NCAA program any time soon.
   
5. St. Thomas is getting kicked out of the MIAC and recently submitted an application to go directly NCAA D1 and join the Summit League, which requires a waiver and is a lengthy process. But, they have the money and professed interest in going NCAA D1 so they're actually a possibility.
   
6. Like mk80 mentioned, Lindenwood has the facility, a women's NCAA team, and they've been behind the scenes trying to get the funding. They're also a up there as possibly joining the NCAA ranks. Perhaps mk80 can speak to this, but I thought they were held back by Title IX issues and were looking to add other women's sports to stay compliant as part of any possible jump.

1. Eau Claire wanted to go DI in hockey by getting a pass. The NCAA said no. So they were left with the choice of going DII with the GLIAC by drooping football and adding other sports so they can afford higher expenses across the board. The GLIAC has also taken UW-Parkside and a NW-Purdue so-its notwithout precedence.

2. Augie has publically lobbied for DI especially with their billion dollar donor Sanford. St Thomas was picked over Augie so Augie will get a small piece of DI with hockey to save face unless the NCAA denies UST’s bid. Augie won’t even have to build anything thing as it will have in the top 10% of facilities with the Sanford Center and large crowds will await them.

3. Minot State’s AD, who came from UND, has publicly stated he wants a DI hockey program. It has access to a three rink arena with two seating 1800 a piece. Also another arena with seating over 4000. Two time club champions with a wicked travel schedule but somehow they can afford it. Minot wants big time sports and now they have many multimillionaires due to the oil boom. One of Minot States objectives is to attract more Canadiens at reduced tuition, and what better way to do that than elite hockey. UMary doesn’t have facilities right away for hockey, as the city arenas wouldn’t give proper viewing but that University does what it sets out to do academically and facility wise.

4. FGCU has winter time residents from Brrnidji and other northern hockey locales. You seem to be entirely writing off gifts from wealthy individuals.

5. St Thomas already gets substantial radio coverage of its DIII sports. They will be better than what Providence now is with a new arena. The Gophers don’t draw crowds because hockey fans are sick of their antics, ticket prices, and lack of winning recently.

 

[JMCx4]

Clarksville got its downtown arena approved and will start construction. It is to be run by the Predators and Austin Peay’s campus is only blocks away. Some taxpayers tried to block the arena, but it failed.

Clarksville getting downtown arena

...

Sheesh, the Preds are building a regional hockey infrastructure to rival the likes of Pittsburgh & Buffalo. The South may just be rising again after all.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

1. Eau Claire wanted to go DI in hockey by getting a pass. The NCAA said no. So they were left with the choice of going DII with the GLIAC by drooping football and adding other sports so they can afford higher expenses across the board. The GLIAC has also taken UW-Parkside and a NW-Purdue so-its notwithout precedence.

2. Augie has publically lobbied for DI especially with their billion dollar donor Sanford. St Thomas was picked over Augie so Augie will get a small piece of DI with hockey to save face unless the NCAA denies UST’s bid. Augie won’t even have to build anything thing as it will have in the top 10% of facilities with the Sanford Center and large crowds will await them.

3. Minot State’s AD, who came from UND, has publicly stated he wants a DI hockey program. It has access to a three rink arena with two seating 1800 a piece. Also another arena with seating over 4000. Two time club champions with a wicked travel schedule but somehow they can afford it. Minot wants big time sports and now they have many multimillionaires due to the oil boom. One of Minot States objectives is to attract more Canadiens at reduced tuition, and what better way to do that than elite hockey. UMary doesn’t have facilities right away for hockey, as the city arenas wouldn’t give proper viewing but that University does what it sets out to do academically and facility wise.

4. FGCU has winter time residents from Brrnidji and other northern hockey locales. You seem to be entirely writing off gifts from wealthy individuals.

5. St Thomas already gets substantial radio coverage of its DIII sports. They will be better than what Providence now is with a new arena. The Gophers don’t draw crowds because hockey fans are sick of their antics, ticket prices, and lack of winning recently.

1. Eau Claire wanted to go D1 with UWSP over a decade ago and there hasn't been any talk about it since. That's the equivalent of bringing up Minnesota-Moorhead and Simon Fraser possible news program.
2. Augustana lobbied to go NCAA D1. It doesn't mean that they would have added hockey. There are no news article available anywhere that even mentions them as being interested in starting a hockey program.
   
3. Minot State's AD mentioned they had funded between $5 and $10 million out of their $30 million goal and they would be providing updates. That was over 3 years ago and there has been nothing since. It's probably because they would need to elevate their entire athletics program to NCAA D1 if they wanted D1 hockey. All non-NCAA D1 schools with D1 programs were grandfathered in and the doors shut: (source) Simon Fraser, Minot State making cases to join Division I lineup? | College Hockey | USCHO.com. UMary will end up joining the ranks of Ohio University, Iowa State, and the other very good club schools with good facilities and good support, but not a chance at getting a NCAA program.
4. FGCU has been trying to get a sugar daddy for this entire decade. It's a basketball-first school, hockey is an afterthought. There's a higher probability of them not getting a NCAA program than getting a NCAA program. That's a very logical reason to write them off.
   
5. St. Thomas has an AD and a President who both know what they're doing. They have a good plan in place, they have good support in the metro area, they would be an excellent addition to NCAA D1 hockey.

 

[NoDak]

Big news that the Northern Sun conference will no longer require football. UMCrookston and St Cloud St are dropping it, as SCSU ran into Title IX problems. Things can come out of left field. Crookston has also been a possible DI hockey school, but more likely club as their new rink is under 2000. Minot St is in that same league, but they just refined their stadium.

Saying Eau Claire isn’t interested in bigger time hockey just doesn’t make sense now that arena construction that they paid for is ongoing.

Augustana wouldn’t add hockey if it’s entire program went DI. If it has to stay DII, offering DI hockey programs would be the only way to save face in the community.

 

[mk80]

I think the discussion has got to a point where we can say, there's a lot of schools, that could, should, or would go to NCAA D1 in the future provided all the right variables come into play. I think whether we see any of the mentioned schools do it remains to be seen but I firmly believe there is an expansion of NCAA D1 hockey coming down the road due to hockey's continued growth in the states, and with the initiatives that the NHL is helping put in place at schools like Illinois, Oakland (suburban Detroit) and others that remain to be seen.

As I said I haven't heard anything on the likes of Eau Claire, UMary, Minot St., Augustana, etc. doesn't mean there's not a chance of things happening with them. But I think at the moment they have much longer ways to go.

For now I think the immediate radar includes: the aforementioned Illinois, Oakland University who was confirmed to have partnered with the Red Wings for a feasibility study, St. Thomas, High Point due to the original post, Lindenwood University, and I always include Liberty University in any discussion.

Like mk80 mentioned, Lindenwood has the facility, a women's NCAA team, and they've been behind the scenes trying to get the funding. They're also a up there as possibly joining the NCAA ranks. Perhaps mk80 can speak to this, but I thought they were held back by Title IX issues and were looking to add other women's sports to stay compliant as part of any possible jump.

I know Title IX has been a concern in the past. But I've heard of talk about adding women's water polo to the NCAA side (currently it is a club sport) or adding a completely new women's sport(s). Or there may now be a change in the student body ratio toward more female students that would allow a new men's team to be added. Or simply they're prepared to cut and rearrange sports as necessary to fit in men's hockey.

But essentially the big quote from the LU Athletic Department is: "We didn't spend $20-30 million on this facility (Centene Community Ice Center) just for women's and club hockey."

So I think that speaks to the mindset of where everything is heading, along with everything else I've been hearing. And if I haven't posted enough pictures of the main arena already here it is hosting Blues training camp in September:

 

[S E P H]

I think the discussion has got to a point where we can say, there's a lot of schools, that could, should, or would go to NCAA D1 in the future provided all the right variables come into play. I think whether we see any of the mentioned schools do it remains to be seen but I firmly believe there is an expansion of NCAA D1 hockey coming down the road due to hockey's continued growth in the states, and with the initiatives that the NHL is helping put in place at schools like Illinois, Oakland (suburban Detroit) and others that remain to be seen.

As I said I haven't heard anything on the likes of Eau Claire, UMary, Minot St., Augustana, etc. doesn't mean there's not a chance of things happening with them. But I think at the moment they have much longer ways to go.

For now I think the immediate radar includes: the aforementioned Illinois, Oakland University who was confirmed to have partnered with the Red Wings for a feasibility study, St. Thomas, High Point due to the original post, Lindenwood University, and I always include Liberty University in any discussion.



I know Title IX has been a concern in the past. But I've heard of talk about adding women's water polo to the NCAA side (currently it is a club sport) or adding a completely new women's sport(s). Or there may now be a change in the student body ratio toward more female students that would allow a new men's team to be added. Or simply they're prepared to cut and rearrange sports as necessary to fit in men's hockey.

But essentially the big quote from the LU Athletic Department is: "We didn't spend $20-30 million on this facility (Centene Community Ice Center) just for women's and club hockey."

So I think that speaks to the mindset of where everything is heading, along with everything else I've been hearing. And if I haven't posted enough pictures of the main arena already here it is hosting Blues training camp in September:

That rink is definitely good enough to have a D1 team, how far away is campus to the rink because that seems like the new wave in college hockey? CC are leaving the World Arena for their own on-site campus hockey rink.

 

[JMCx4]

... And if I haven't posted enough pictures of the main arena already here it is hosting Blues training camp in September:

Would that the Lady Lions could draw just one section's worth of a fan base like that. Championships bring out the crowds. Hear that, Coach Looney?

 

[JMCx4]

That rink is definitely good enough to have a D1 team, how far away is campus to the rink because that seems like the new wave in college hockey? CC are leaving the World Arena for their own on-site campus hockey rink.

Less than 6 miles. Much closer than their previous home ice @ 20 miles away.

 

[mk80]

That rink is definitely good enough to have a D1 team, how far away is campus to the rink because that seems like the new wave in college hockey? CC are leaving the World Arena for their own on-site campus hockey rink.

@JMCx4 beat me to it, but yes it is very close to campus.

 

[NoDak]

U of Georgia is building a 5500 seat rink in Athens?
How long before a Southern DI conference?

Planned 5,500-seat Classic Center arena to provide permanent home for Georgia Ice Dawgs

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

U of Georgia is building a 5500 seat rink in Athens?
How long before a Southern DI conference?

Planned 5,500-seat Classic Center arena to provide permanent home for Georgia Ice Dawgs

Still a very long time.

That plan for Georgia not only still needs to be approved, but it actually states it would be home to their club team. I’ll believe they’re getting a D1 team when they fund the scholarships. Other than that, they’ll be another Liberty or URI. Good enough to be a club team with a big rink on campus, but that’s where the line stops.

That and there has been zero news about High Point D1 hockey. The one article on the entire internet discussing is the one in the OP. Oakland University got a measly feasibility test, and they’re all over the place. Rutgers looked at it privately a decade ago and are still linked. HPU isn’t even linked. Believe it when shovels are put in the ground and not a second before.

 

[mk80]

U of Georgia is building a 5500 seat rink in Athens?
How long before a Southern DI conference?

Planned 5,500-seat Classic Center arena to provide permanent home for Georgia Ice Dawgs

I don't think UGA is going to NCAA hockey in the forseeable future. Unless a rich donor comes in with a check, or someone high up with decision making power has an extreme love of hockey and makes it happen (scenario 1 is more likely but still far off).

However it is good for UGA to be able to get a permanent rink instead of playing in a converted convention center ballroom. Also they have good attendance and having the arena in walking distance to the campus is very helpful. And of course being able to grow youth hockey with the new facility will be great as well. Ultimately they'll have a nice arena waiting for an eventual future where NCAA hockey would actually be in play, or they'll at least put themselves in the top tier of ACHA arenas.

I do think the NCAA D1 hockey landscape will be changing over the next few years with some additions and possibly a couple subtractions, I just see Georgia as a huge long shot for this round of upcoming college hockey changes.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

I know of Liberty, URI, Ohio University, and Delaware that have all built legitimate on-campus arenas and never upgraded their ACHA teams. Bates, Syracuse, Iowa State, Navy and Dordt have all built incredibly nice rinks on or near campus without upgrading their ACHA teams. So there is certainly precedence for building with club hockey in mind and having no intention to go NCAA.

@mk80 are you familiar with any others? I'm positive I'm missing a few out near your way.

 

[JMCx4]

St. Louis University had a CCHA men's program back in the 1970s. They have since erected Chaifetz Arena on campus, but it was not built with an ice plant. That eliminates one for @mk80 to consider.

ETA: Illinois State in Normal has ACHA D1 thru D3 men's club teams, and the Grossinger Motors Arena two miles south in Bloomington (where the D1 team plays). All they'd have to do is wait for The Great Bloomington FPHL Experiment to wither, and they'd have the approx. 7,000 seats to themselves.

 

[mk80]

I know of Liberty, URI, Ohio University, and Delaware that have all built legitimate on-campus arenas and never upgraded their ACHA teams. Bates, Syracuse, Iowa State, Navy and Dordt have all built incredibly nice rinks on or near campus without upgrading their ACHA teams. So there is certainly precedence for building with club hockey in mind and having no intention to go NCAA.

@mk80 are you familiar with any others? I'm positive I'm missing a few out near your way.

St. Louis University had a CCHA men's program back in the 1970s. They have since erected Chaifetz Arena on campus, but it was not built with an ice plant. That eliminates one for @mk80 to consider.

ETA: Illinois State in Normal has ACHA D1 thru D3 men's club teams, and the Grossinger Motors Arena two miles south in Bloomington (where the D1 team plays). All they'd have to do is wait for The Great Bloomington FPHL Experiment to wither, and they'd have the approx. 7,000 seats to themselves.

@JMCx4 I've always said that SLU should have built it with an ice plant... but I don't make the big decisions (or write the checks for donations).

As far as other arenas for ACHA teams @Barclay Donaldson: Lindenwood moved to the new Centene Community Ice Center, Maryville University has a nice new facility built in partnership with the local youth hockey program HOME it's definitely not in the same class as the other arenas being listed but still a nice one for them.

As for other arenas in the ACHA, I can only think of Arizona playing at the Tuscon Convention center where the AHL Roadrunners play, Tennessee at the Knoxville Civic Coliseum, Minot State plays at Maysa Arena, RMU Illinois at Edge Ice Arena but those weren't built by the schools.

 

[NoDak]

1. Eau Claire wanted to go D1 with UWSP over a decade ago and there hasn't been any talk about it since. That's the equivalent of bringing up Minnesota-Moorhead and Simon Fraser possible news program.
2. Augustana lobbied to go NCAA D1. It doesn't mean that they would have added hockey. There are no news article available anywhere that even mentions them as being interested in starting a hockey program.
   
3. Minot State's AD mentioned they had funded between $5 and $10 million out of their $30 million goal and they would be providing updates. That was over 3 years ago and there has been nothing since. It's probably because they would need to elevate their entire athletics program to NCAA D1 if they wanted D1 hockey. All non-NCAA D1 schools with D1 programs were grandfathered in and the doors shut: (source) Simon Fraser, Minot State making cases to join Division I lineup? | College Hockey | USCHO.com. UMary will end up joining the ranks of Ohio University, Iowa State, and the other very good club schools with good facilities and good support, but not a chance at getting a NCAA program.
4. FGCU has been trying to get a sugar daddy for this entire decade. It's a basketball-first school, hockey is an afterthought. There's a higher probability of them not getting a NCAA program than getting a NCAA program. That's a very logical reason to write them off.
   
5. St. Thomas has an AD and a President who both know what they're doing. They have a good plan in place, they have good support in the metro area, they would be an excellent addition to NCAA D1 hockey.

Forgot to reply to the Minot St comments.

Obviously, you don’t know what your talking about because any DII school can have DI hockey. Is Maysa big enough? Probably no, but it has been expanded for another rink. ACHA DI hockey is getting more schools added in MN and ND, so they may be satisfied. But the new 7 school break off of the WCHA will need more teams soon. The NSIC and the GLIAC will probably provide them, baring Oakland, Eau Claire or St Thomas take some spots. Just in the NSIC, Mn-Crookston, SWMnSt, and UMary have or will start club hockey. UJamestown, ND, built a new arena at the NAIA level and has beaten defending champion Minot St several times. UMary would be capable of DI because of the area population and their fantastic fundraising ability

 

[mk80]

Forgot to reply to the Minot St comments.

Obviously, you don’t know what your talking about because any DII school can have DI hockey. Is Maysa big enough? Probably no, but it has been expanded for another rink. ACHA DI hockey is getting more schools added in MN and ND, so they may be satisfied. But the new 7 school break off of the WCHA will need more teams soon. The NSIC and the GLIAC will probably provide them, baring Oakland, Eau Claire or St Thomas take some spots. Just in the NSIC, Mn-Crookston, SWMnSt, and UMary have or will start club hockey. UJamestown, ND, built a new arena at the NAIA level and has beaten defending champion Minot St several times. UMary would be capable of DI because of the area population and their fantastic fundraising ability

I'd like to address the bolded points.

1. NCAA DII schools if they add NCAA hockey have to play in DI because of NCAA rules saying that can play down a level. Not every DII can have hockey though as there are a lot of things standing in their way, such as arenas, scholarship funding, athletic department funding, etc. And many DII schools don't have the capability, money, or an arena that meets standards. Which is why the ACHA is the perfect home for them.

2. Maysa Arena would definitely meet the qualifications to be a DI arena, should Minot State ever become an NCAA DI program. But they are not a going to be an NCAA DI program in the near future or possibly ever.

3. The WCHA is cutting off the Alaska schools, and Alabama Huntsville, St. Thomas will most likely come into fill a spot given their ideal location within the conference footprint and their situation regarding their athletic conference kicking them out, and applying for a waiver to move directly from DIII to DI, so pending the approval by the NCAA they'll be in. I expect Oakland will be in a position to join as well in the next few years when that move happens. Lindenwood is in conversation as well, now that they have their new building.

4. UMary is a small NCAA DII school, like Minot State, they may have certain aspects of their program or school that check off boxes for adding DI mens hockey. But chances are they will remain a school that thinks they can but never does. Heck the same can be said for Lindenwood, who definitely can if they want to and like I said conversations are being had about it. But I could see them deciding they are happy not spending the money funding a DI men's NCAA hockey program.

 

[S E P H]

I know of Liberty, URI, Ohio University, and Delaware that have all built legitimate on-campus arenas and never upgraded their ACHA teams. Bates, Syracuse, Iowa State, Navy and Dordt have all built incredibly nice rinks on or near campus without upgrading their ACHA teams. So there is certainly precedence for building with club hockey in mind and having no intention to go NCAA.

@mk80 are you familiar with any others? I'm positive I'm missing a few out near your way.

Syracuse has a D1 women's team, so the rink services some purpose and could be a gateway for the men's to eventually get one.

I would still put a lot of those teams as the best ones to join D1 in the future, not in the next five years, but after that who knows?

As for Georgia, when I see an ACHA Div III team jump from that all the way to D1 I will believe it. The last handful of expansion teams are ones who had solid foundation for their club team; Arizona State and Penn State. Both always had very strong programmes in ACHA D1 and made it less of a bump compared to Georgia. The two best SEC teams that would be able to recruit good players are Alabama and Georgia Tech.

If I was going to say the ones who deserve the jump besides Oakland and Illinois for the sake of leaving them out; Arizona, Ohio, Liberty, Lindenwood, and perhaps Minot State, but I admit I haven't really paid enough attention to them.

 

[SemireliableSource]

The two best SEC teams that would be able to recruit good players are Alabama and Georgia Tech.

1. Since when did Tech join the SEC?
2. I get why you said Alabama (the athletic department is flush with cash thanks for football and they are building a solid D1 club team. I could definitely see them trying to go D1 eventually if they ever get a rink in Tuscaloosa) but what made you list Tech? Because it's a school with strong STEM programs? Because it's in Atlanta?

Georgia isn't going D1 anytime soon. This rink isn't UGA building a rink for the hockey team. This is the Athens-Clarke County government building an arena to host events in and it'll happen to have ice and likely host the Ice Dawgs.

 

[NoDak]

Indiana University Athletics Pavilion - JLGice

There are reports that Indiana U will use the structural steel from the old Ralph Engelstad Arena to build at least a club ice facility..

 

[S E P H]

1. Since when did Tech join the SEC?
2. I get why you said Alabama (the athletic department is flush with cash thanks for football and they are building a solid D1 club team. I could definitely see them trying to go D1 eventually if they ever get a rink in Tuscaloosa) but what made you list Tech? Because it's a school with strong STEM programs? Because it's in Atlanta?

Georgia isn't going D1 anytime soon. This rink isn't UGA building a rink for the hockey team. This is the Athens-Clarke County government building an arena to host events in and it'll happen to have ice and likely host the Ice Dawgs.

Oops, you're right that Georgia Tech is not in the SEC, they play in the ACC. They have at least a strong foundational club team and have been quite successful over their tenure. If I remember correctly, they started the club team since the 1970s and have quite a good cult following for the team. They even have an app for hockey, something some D1 teams do not even have. If you want to research more, I recommend Google-ing around and watching some of their YouTube footage. With everything above, I am also comparing them to other ACHA club teams and in the South they're one of the best.

 

[JMCx4]

Indiana University Athletics Pavilion - JLGice

There are reports that Indiana U will use the structural steel from the old Ralph Engelstad Arena to build at least a club ice facility..

Things are looking up for Midwest NCAA hockey & my road trip options. Any idea on timeline? I'm not gettin' any younger, you know.

This plan also gets IU & their contractor around competing with China for increasingly precious construction steel. AND they won't have to find a way around U.S. tariffs on Chinese steel.

 

[NoDak]

Hockey East may split up.

https://www.uscho.com/2020/01/30/as...-might-the-future-of-hockey-east-be-in-peril/

Two schools that may move from the AHA are Holy Cross and Sacred earth. So then the AHA might need to backfill. Delaware, NAvy, Syracuse and a host of others could be possible.

 

[SemireliableSource]

Oops, you're right that Georgia Tech is not in the SEC, they play in the ACC. They have at least a strong foundational club team and have been quite successful over their tenure. If I remember correctly, they started the club team since the 1970s and have quite a good cult following for the team. They even have an app for hockey, something some D1 teams do not even have. If you want to research more, I recommend Google-ing around and watching some of their YouTube footage. With everything above, I am also comparing them to other ACHA club teams and in the South they're one of the best.

I'm well aware of Tech's club program. I also am well aware that they don't have the support from fans and the university to go D1 for a long time.

 

[S E P H]

I'm well aware of Tech's club program. I also am well aware that they don't have the support from fans and the university to go D1 for a long time.

Disagree with the fans, but I never mentioned of them being a candidate over others, just that in the south they are one of the stronger programmes to look at.