D-I Hockey at Illinois Still Just a Dream

College Hockey News from CHN


April 24, 2017
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by Mike McMahon/Staff Writer (@MikeMcMahonCHN)





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The 2017 Frozen Four in Chicago went off without a hitch. Sure, there wasn't the warm sun there was in Tampa in 2016, but Chicago was a fine host for college hockey's biggest stage, and the city responded with the largest attendance ever inside an NHL building.
About two hours down Route 57 in Champaign, the University of Illinois has a successful club hockey program. The Illini finished the 2017 season ranked No. 13 in the ACHA Division I, playing in the highly-competitive Central States Collegiate Hockey League, where all five teams in the league finished the season ranked.
So naturally, with the Big Ten expanding next season by adding Notre Dame, and Minnesota coach Don Lucia on record saying the league would like to add an eighth program, the question comes up about Illinois. The Frozen Four was a success and hockey is exploding in the Midwest market, with more college players coming from Illinois and St. Louis, for example, than ever before.
"Every spring, I can almost mark it on my calendar, someone comes to me with the question of Division I hockey," said Kent Brown, associate director of athletics and media relations at Illinois. "I can say that it's not on our radar, but that's because of a number of factors. I think if we ever had a Division I program it would be highly successful, but there are a number of reasons why it's not on our radar right now."
Within its own conference, Penn State elevated its program to Division I in 2012. However, Buffalo Sabres and Buffalo Bills owner, Terry Pegula, gave the university a $102 million gift in order to make that jump possible. Penn State built a rink and was able to get the ball rolling with scholarships.
In 2014, Arizona State student Justin Emerson wrote a story on Sun ...

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