Monday, March 16, 2009

Bowling Green may eliminate hockey

I'm a little late on this one, but wanted to mention it. The economy has taken out two ECHL teams so far, and now may claim a college team.

From the Sentinel-Tribune:

All university departments have been asked to develop a variety of scenarios regarding budgets and programs.
The school believes it is looking at a funding shortfall of between $6 million and $10 million when the new state budget begins July 1. University president Carol Cartwright has said that if that figure worsens, cuts in programs will be need to be made.
Rumors suggest the decision to cut hockey could be made final during a special meeting of the BGSU Board of Trustees sometime during the next week to 10 days.
Many former NHLers have come out of Bowling Green.

The only silver lining I see here is that maybe the CCHA could take in one or more CHA teams so they aren't left hanging.
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  1. Josh PMarch 25, 2009 at 9:54 AM

    This would be the biggest blow to NCAA Div. 1 hockey since the University of Illinois - Chicago Flames folded in the mid '90s. And to top it off, this would be one of the few NCAA Championship sport teams to fold.

    The CCHA is looking at how to reorganize. Niagara and Robert Morris are already admitted to the AHA (of which there are scholarship limits that both schools disagree with but understand they need to do something to save their programs), the third CHA team Bemidji State is almost a shoe-in for acceptance for the WCHA, IF another team can be found for the league to make them a nice round dozen.

    That leaves (currently) the University of Alabama Huntsville in the cold looking in. They have formally applied to the CCHA, but the CCHA is also the same league that would NOT accept Wayne State two years ago. If one of the CCHA teams can be "poached" by the WCHA for their dozen, that leaves an open spot for UAH to slide into the CCHA.

    But no one will know for sure what will happen until the spring NCAA coaches convention in Florida.


    As for Bowling Green, there is some rumors that this is just smoke being blown by the BG President to get more alumni donations considering the financial loss for BG Hockey this season was LESS than her salary. There are other sports on campus hemorrhaging more money than the hockey program.

    Of note, BGSU's president was also at the helm of Kent State when Kent State withdrew from Division 1 NCAA hockey.

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