Alaska Nanooks hockey to join WCHA
August 25, 2011
Marmian Grimes
907-474-7902
8/25/11
The University of Alaska Fairbanks today accepted an invitation for its men’s ice hockey team to join the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
“The WCHA’s decision will benefit student-athletes from multiple schools, fans from various communities and the sport as a whole,” said UAF athletic director Forrest Karr.
The Nanooks will join the new conference for the 2013-14 season.
The Alaska Nanooks have been part of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association since 1992. They were granted affiliate membership in 1992 and full membership in 1994. The change comes after months of uncertainty, as hockey programs throughout the nation have worked through the process of conference realignment.
“There is a collective sense of relief,” Karr said. “We can now turn our attention to making sure all CCHA student-athletes have a quality experience over the next two years and to helping build on the WCHA's solid foundation."
The Nanooks’ move to the WCHA also means UAF will fall into the same conference as intrastate rival, the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves. UAF Chancellor Brian Rogers noted that UAA athletic director Steve Cobb and Chancellor Tom Case were strong advocates for the Nanooks’ inclusion in the WCHA conference.
“I would like to thank UAA for helping make this happen. Their work and support is an example of the community spirit that makes the University of Alaska great,” Rogers said. “We cooperate off the ice, and compete on the ice.”
Hockey coach and Nanooks alumnus Dallas Ferguson said he is looking forward to joining the new conference, which stands to include both new rivals and old.
“The WCHA provides a unified group of schools that are committed to Division I hockey. Membership in this conference will provide advantages for both our fans and our student-athletes,” Ferguson said, noting that he is thankful the Nanooks now have a clear path forward for the coming years. “Our leaders were on top of the process and even though there was some uncertainty I was comfortable knowing our university was supportive of the program to the highest degree.”
UAF’s hockey tradition spans three decades and includes two CCHA coaches of the year, strong finishes in the conference in the last decade and a bid to the 2010 NCAA Tournament. In addition to their strength on the ice, Nanooks hockey student-athletes are consistently strong in the classroom, with average GPAs in recent years nearing 3.5.
The WCHA was founded in 1951 as the Midwest Collegiate Hockey League. Since then, teams representing the men’s WCHA have earned a record 37 NCAA championships, finished as the national runner-up another 27 times, and qualified for a berth in collegiate hockey’s national championship round, the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, in 55 of 59 seasons overall. The conference has also extended invitations to four other CCHA-member schools: Bowling Green State University, Ferris State University, Lake Superior State University and Western Michigan University. Six other teams are committed to becoming part of the conference in the 2013-14 season: University of Alaska Anchorage, Bemidji State University, Michigan Technological University, Minnesota State University, Mankato, St. Cloud State University and Northern Michigan University.
ADDITIONAL CONTACTS: Forrest Karr, athletics director, at 907-474-6812 or forrest.karr@alaska.edu. Doug Spencer, WCHA associate commissioner for public relations, at 608-829-0100 or dspencer@mailbag.com.
ON THE WEB: www.alaskananooks.com
NOTE TO EDITORS: A news release from the WCHA on their invitation to UAF and other schools is available at http://www.wcha.com/men/pres1112/201108/aug25wcm.php.
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