New proposed college hockey conference would include Lake Superior State

The college hockey landscape could have a new look and Lake Superior State will be a part of it.

In a release sent out late Friday afternoon on behalf of consultant Morris Kurtz, Lake Superior State is among seven schools looking into the potential of a new conference in Division 1 men’s college hockey.

All seven schools are currently part of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association but are exploring the possibility of a new league together.

Lake State and current conference-mates Bemidji State, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Michigan Tech, Minnesota State, and Northern Michigan would be members of the new conference, which would begin play with the 2021-22 season.

Friday’s release said, “the potential new conference is also committed to providing the best possible collegiate hockey experience for its student-athletes, fans, and all stakeholders. Finally, the group would plan to establish itself as an elite hockey conference that would have the highest standards for overall competitiveness and rigorous non-conference scheduling, along with a level of institutional investment that demonstrates significant commitment to their hockey programs and facilities, while also establishing relationships with corporate partners and others that create a high degree of visibility and positive media exposure for the league.”

The seven schools would remain a part of the 10-team WCHA for the next two seasons before the development of the new conference.

All seven schools have begun the process by independently submitting formal Letters of Notice to the conference office, which initiates the process as part of the WCHA bylaws.

The three remaining WCHA schools include Alabama-Huntsville, the University of Alaska Anchorage, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

What the three remaining schools will do once the new conference takes shape remains to be seen.

For Alabama Huntsville, the announcement comes nearly two months after the news of a potential campus expansion that would include a multi-purpose facility that would be home to the school’s hockey and basketball teams.

WCHA president and men’s hockey commissioner Bill Robertson released a short statement on Friday regarding the announcement.

“Late this afternoon (Friday), the WCHA office received a communication from several of our Men’s League institutions that they intend to explore the creation of a new Division 1 men’s hockey conference that would begin play in 2021-22. The institutions have indicated they intend to compete in the WCHA during the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons,” Robertson said.

“While this news is disappointing, the WCHA will work to assure that any members that do withdraw do so in accordance with WCHA bylaws.”