Nebraska-Omaha to join CCHA in 1999

Melanie Gherardini will have to bust out her atlas. The travel coordinator for the Michigan athletic department has to find out how to get to Omaha.

That's because Nebraska-Omaha was accepted as the 12th member of the CCHA a little more than two months ago, effective for the 1999-2000 season.

"It's terrific," CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos said. "It's a good fit for the CCHA and Nebraska-Omaha. They have a very committed program - they're committed to being successful."

With 12 teams in the conference, the CCHA will likely go to a divisional system.

"There was even talk to add divisions this year," Michigan assistant hockey coach Mel Pearson said. "I definitely see it as going that way. (The schedule) won't be balanced, and that'll be a concern, but I think that's the direction the conference is going."

The CCHA had been considering expansion for months, and then-commissioner Bill Beagan set up a five-person expansion committee to look into the matter.

The committee, which considered expansion in general and not specific cases, recommended expansion before Nebraska-Omaha even approached the CCHA.

"The process usually has three steps," Anastos said, "the application, due diligence and a vote. Since due diligence was completed before UNO even applied, it sped up the whole process."

By the time Nebraska-Omaha approached the CCHA, Beagan had already announced his retirement, and he introduced Anastos to the Nebraska-Omaha staff at the CCHA Championships in March at the Joe Louis Arena.

The school made a formal presentation, along with Niagara, at the CCHA coaches' meetings in Naples, Fla., and impressed the coaches.

"Once they made the presentation, the decision was pretty easy," Pearson said. "They have a great facility and they drew so well. The dollars staggered a lot of people, and it was presented in a very professional manner."

On June 24, the athletic directors of the member schools took a vote on a conference call. While Anastos said the vote was not unanimous, the support for the expansion was "overwhelming."

Pearson said it was the business side of the deal that made the expansion so quick and painless.

"They're one of the few teams in the league actually making money," Pearson said. "They're drawing well and the program is healthy and stable. There's no reason for that to change. There's not that much else to do in Omaha."

The CCHA was not Nebraska-Omaha's first choice. Compared to the WCHA, the CCHA makes little sense for the team from a geographic standpoint. Travel will be difficult for some schools, especially the ones in Michigan's upper peninsula.

But the WCHA put a moratorium on expansion earlier this year, saying it was not interested in any new teams.

The CCHA took a different approach and they still might not be done.

"The CCHA has always been a progressive group," Pearson said. "There may even be more expansion. The conference has to decide how many teams it wants."

Niagara has already shown interest, and made a presentation to the CCHA, and Pearson said Oakland and Wayne State may be going varsity soon.

The immediate concern for the Mavericks is whether or not it will be able to compete in the CCHA. Last season, playing a schedule against mostly independent teams with some affiliated ones, including NCAA-tournament qualifier Princeton, the Mavericks put together a 12-18-3 record in their first varsity season.

"It's a decent record for their first year varsity," Pearson said. "I think they have a chance to be middle of the pack."

Against affiliated teams, the Mavericks only win came in a 4-3 victory over Maine.

09-08-98