Thursday, April 11, 2013

Field Pleads Case for Expansion

The makeup of this year’s Frozen Four shows why schools would be wise to add Division I hockey.

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The unique Frozen Four field that will see a first-time champion crowned Saturday night has received a lot of attention this week. It shows the parity in college hockey, the broad talent base in the sport and the commitment of these four programs.

It also shows – as College Hockey, Inc. Executive Director Mike Snee writes in a guest post for Yahoo’s Puck Daddy blog – the opportunity that exists for schools that might add Division I hockey.

The Frozen Four field of UMass Lowell, Quinnipiac, St. Cloud State and Yale may not grab the attention of casual sports fans like it should, and it may not produce the TV ratings those of us who love college hockey feel it deserves.

It should, however, capture the imagination of any forward-thinking university president or athletic director who wants to raise their school’s profile.

As college hockey fans have long maintained, there is tremendous opportunity for schools that want to pursue Division I hockey. With only 59 programs nationwide and the talent pool growing, the chance to compete for national championships has never been better.

To read the entire post, click here. On a similar note, Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News identifies five potential additions to the Division I ranks.

Snee’s guest post is just one part of extensive Frozen Four preview coverage on Puck Daddy. Other posts:

NCAA Frozen Four Preview: Prepare to witness history
Puck Daddy chats with Yale’s Josh Balch
Yale taking advantage of tournament lifeline
Puck Daddy chats with UMass Lowell’s Riley Wetmore
Puck Daddy chats with Quinnipiac’s Matthew Peca
Puck Daddy chats with SCSU’s Ben Hanowski