Northern Michgan & Alaska Heading To WCHA?

(above) Survivor: College Hockey Edition continues this week with the WCHA Tribe adding Northern Michigan & Alaska

Kevin Pates of the Duluth News-Tribune is reporting that Northern Michigan and the University of Alaska [Fairbanks] could join the Western Collegiate Hockey Association by 2013-14. The University of Alaska rumor has been denied by the UA Athletic Department saying, "We've had no contact with the WCHA."

The University of Denver, Minnesota-Duluth, Colorado College, North Dakota & Nebraska-Omaha announced on Sunday that they will leave the WCHA in 2013-14 to form a new conference with Miami University.

Articles & Rumors Surrounding Super League

Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald explains the motives of the six schools that will form the new college hockey conference.  Its the best article written yet about the subject.  He also offers some interesting insight into the inner politics of the WCHA.  Namely the schools were at odds on what direction to take the conference.

Interesting rumor on the SiouxSports Message Board suggesting that the University of St. Cloud was snubbed because their former president lobbied to remove the Fighting Sioux nickname.  He was also accused of assisting a protest rally against the nickname in front of Englestad Arena.

Western Michigan hopes to hitch their wagon to Notre Dame and plan to follow the Fighting Irish to either the Super League or Hockey East.  Sounds like a plausible strategy and I believe this significantly increases the odds that Notre Dame will eventually decide or may have already decided to join the Super League.

Northern Michigan University is going to aggressively pursue its conference strategy, but its interesting to note that their Athletic Director is out on medical leave.  Sounds like they might like to jump to the WCHA.  That would give the "new" WCHA six teams; UAA, MSU-M, SCSU, MTU, NMU & BSU.  If the compact six team league could get some sort of a scheduling agreement with the Big Ten Hockey Conference on the side, it just might work.

The Grand Forks Herald also has another editorial about the new Super League.