The
NCAA Division I men’s and women’s ice hockey ranks will increase by one team
apiece when the University of St. Thomas (Minn.) moves up from the Division III
level in the next two years.
A
founding member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, St.
Thomas will depart that conference following the 2020-21 season to join the new
Central Collegiate Hockey Association for men’s hockey in 2021-22, and the
Western Collegiate Hockey Association on the women’s side at the same time.
The
St. Thomas men’s team has played annually since 1920-21, save for five seasons
around World War II. They boast an all-time record of 1,163-665-116 (.628),
according to USCHO.com, all while in the MIAC. Since the 1983-84 campaign, the
Tommies’ ledger includes 21 MIAC regular-season championships, 13 MIAC
postseason titles, and 16 NCAA tournament berths, including national
championship game appearances in 2000 and 2005. The program also last finished
under .500 in a season in 1981-82.
The
St. Thomas women's program began play with the 2001-02 season, and since then
the Tommies have fashioned an overall mark of 323-140-50 (.678). They have also
claimed six MIAC regular-season crowns and six MIAC postseason titles to go
along with six national tournament berths, including NCAA Frozen Four
appearances in both 2014 and 2019.
St.
Thomas will swell the new CCHA, which is slated to begin play as a whole in the
fall of 2021, to eight teams, while the Tommies women’s team will also boost
the women’s WCHA to eight schools.
No comments:
Post a Comment