Category Archives: 2013-14

WCHA notes: Playoff format, travel partners

Some news about our new league from over the weekend:

  • WCHAlogoThe WCHA athletics directors have approved the league’s playoff format, according to the Mankato Free Press. No longer will all teams make the WCHA playoffs every year: Only the top 8 qualify. The top four seeds would host best-of-3 series in the first round with the winners going to a neutral site for the semifinals and championship. The format must be approved by the school presidents.
  • The league is close to finalizing contracts with Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich. (2014 and 2016) and the XCel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. (2015 and 2017) to host the championship weekend.
  • The “Alaska Plan,” in which Alaska-Fairbanks and Alaska-Anchorage would play each other in the WCHA playoffs every year to cut travel costs, was scrapped. According to the Marquette Mining Journal, Anchorage, Fairbanks, and UAH proposed travel subsidies for the first round as they will during the regular season.
  • The Bowling Green Sentinal-Tribune reports that teams have received lists of the schools they’ll be playing next season, but no dates yet as they try to get UAH a full 28-game conference schedule. Each team will have a travel partner to play four times (two home, two away) per season. UAH’s travel partner is its closest conference opponent, Bowling Green.

Steve McKenna — First 2013 Recruit

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Steve McKenna is a 6’3″, 195# forward from South Boston, MA, and he’s coming to Huntsville next fall to play hockey.  While the University does not discuss recruits prior to enrollment, we can pass along some information.  McKenna captains the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs in the EJHL.  [The last EJHL recruit that I can remember coming to Huntsville is Bay State’s Blake MacNicol.]*

Steve sure sounds excited to be coming:

I would rank this as one of the biggest accomplishments in my life. I have been playing hockey as long as I can remember and have always dreamed of playing at a competitive college level. I am very excited to commit to UAH. The coaching staff welcomed me right from the start. I look forward to playing in such a big venue and competing against some great competition.

Read more at JuniorHockey.com, including quotes from his coach and more from our new Charger.

* Craig Pierce quickly reminded me that he played in the EJHL.  This is what I get for not fact-checking my statements.  Sorry 19!