PAPILLION, Neb. – On the eve of the start of the 2009-2010 academic and athletic year, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association released a statement last week that it had notified the University of Alabama-Huntsville that it would not be joining the CCHA for the 2010-11 season. The decision, announced on August 11, was conceived by the collection of athletic administrators, athletic faculty, and CCHA council that make up the CCHA board.
The decision, which has been reported by multiple sources as having been by an acclamation vote, has left the Chargers with four options to ponder as they approach their final season in the four-member College Hockey America season: continue to search for a conference that will accept them (including another attempt to join the CCHA); play as the only Division 1 independent school; drop down to ACHA club status or completely shut their program down.
Following this season, the members of the CHA will be going their separate ways. Niagara, located in upper New York state, and Robert Morris, located in Pittsburgh, have been accepted to the more regionally-friendly Atlantic Hockey Association while Minnesota’s Bemidji State will be joining the WCHA in the fall of 2010.
With the departure of the University of Nebraska-Omaha to the WCHA to balance off Bemidji State, the CCHA currently sits with an odd number of schools for the 2010-11 season with 11 participating academic institutions. Many observers thought that UAH’s acceptance into the CCHA would happen based on the perceived notion of the CCHA wanting an even number of teams. The main reason cited for UNO leaving the CCHA was geographic proximity to its conference opponents.
While no specific reasons were given as to why the denial was issued to the southernmost program in Division 1 Men’s Ice Hockey, University of Alaska Fairbanks athletic director Forrest Karr told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner that several criteria were discussed.
“Some people had concerns about a lack of commitment, a firm agreement with the facility (the Von Braun Center) down there and low attendance in recent years,” he said. “Other concerns included the institution not being in a major recruiting market, the general economic climate across the country and the student-athlete welfare (of other CCHA schools) because of missed class time due to long bus trips.”
Last season, UAH averaged 2,688 fans coming through the doors at the VBC in 10 home games. Supporters of the Chargers have also noted that the driving distance to Huntsville is only 34 miles further than driving to Omaha, Nebraska.
On the conference website, CCHA Commissioner Tom Anastos gave an indication that the conference’s commitment was to its member schools.
“The CCHA will remain focused on maintaining and strengthening our existing members to ensure the conference’s continued success and long-term viability,” he said.
UAH athletic director told USCHO.com that he and the school were disappointed by the vote but that the Chargers would take time to look at all options.
“We are certainly disappointed in the decision and feel like our program has a lot to offer to any league,” he said. “We are going to have a cooling-off period and then look at other options that are available to us and then move forward.”
You may contact the author at: john.strathman@prohockeynews.com
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