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Stonehill College headed to D1 Hockey Independent for 2022-23 season.
- Thread starter huskymedic
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Stonehill men's ice hockey would seem to be a natural to end up in Atlantic Hockey at some point. We'll see.
“At some point” is a very fluid concept, however.
Right now, since Robert Morris is rejoining the ranks there’s only one nominal open spot.
Utica is looking to bring their whole AD up to DII and that includes their powerhouse-at-DIII-level hockey team, who is seeking to hook up with AH. If that happens, and I’m assuming at this case it is likely to (I see no reason why the other AH members would deny a program with an obvious commitment to hockey, history with Canisius/Niagara/RIT/Mercyhurst from the old ECAC West, and who is perfectly centered in the existing footprint), then that closes the doors for a good solid minute.
The other leagues in the East are stable as they are. Someone’s going to have to make a UConn-level commitment to elevate, or be Quinnipiac, to be on Hockey East’s radar; they’re just fine with 11 otherwise. The only way the ECAC is going to make a change is if the Ivies decide they’ve had enough.
Stonehill’s best chance to get in a conference at any quick pace is to convince their allies in the NE-10 (or at least four of them: Post, Franklin Pierce, SNHU, St Michaels, St Anselm, or Assumption) to take advantage of the fact they can play up in hockey without needing to elevate the whole department due to no DII championship.