The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/100794
2011-12 hockey preview Big Ten formally announced it would gobble up Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State from the CCHA, Wisconsin and Minnesota from the WCHA, and soon-to-be-varsity Penn State for the start of league play in 2013-14. The six schools will play a 20-game conference schedule, seeing each foe four times. A little less than four months later, July 9, the next domino fell when the remaining top-tiered teams in the WCHA and CCHA announced they would form the National College Hockey Conference. The new conglomerate, also scheduled to debut in 2013-14, believes with Colorado College, Denver, Miami, Minnesota-Duluth, Nebraska-Omaha and North Dakota it can match the Big Ten for talent. One-time CCHA power Northern Michigan, expecting the collapse of its current league, jumped to the WCHA on July 20, but the Wildcats would soon be joined by their active competitors; the WCHA extended invitations to Alaska Fairbanks, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Lake Superior State and Western Michi- gan, and on Aug. 25, the five schools officially partnered up with NMU, Alaska Anchorage, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech, Minnesota State and St. Cloud State. After that, though, on Sept. 22, the NCHC announced it would be adding Western Michigan and St. Cloud State, bringing the total number of teams for that league���s inaugural season in 201314 to eight, and leaving the WCHA disappointed by those two schools��� unexpected departures. There were other conversations along the way, including formal talks between the CCHA and four programs from the Atlantic Hockey Association, but for the time being the AHA, the ECAC, Hockey East and the Ivy League remain intact. A current CCHA member, Notre Dame, meanwhile, has yet to make a decision about its hockey future. It remains to be seen if the dramatic changes will invigorate college hockey or if it will deepen the gulf between the haves and have-nots. Hockey Notebook ���I can tell you I���m surprised and disappointed to the way everyone reacted to the formation of the Big Ten Conference,��� U-M head coach Red Berenson said. ���I don���t think it will benefit anybody to do what has been done. It seems like people are overreacting. It���s like the stock market ��� a little bit of bad news and everyone is panicking. ���Is it good for college hockey? I hope it is. I hope the Big Ten Conference is good for college hockey, and I hope these other conferences make it work, but I am disappointed by the overreaction. ���I don���t know why the WCHA did what it did, and I don���t know why the teams broke away from their conference. I know why Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State had to leave the CCHA to form the Big Ten, but I don���t know why Miami chose to leave so quickly and Northern bailed out. ���The one thing I���m hopeful is that this will strengthen the commitment that all these schools make to Division I hockey.��� ��� Captains New Blood ��� Senior forward Luke Glen��� With the summer departure of dening will serve as the team incoming freshman goalie John captain for the second conGibson, Michigan was left with secutive season, becoming just two netminders on its rosthe seventh Wolverine in ter and with no time to recruit a school history to repeat in scholarship goaltender. The Wolthat role. Conrad Hill (1946verines looked within to fill the 48) and David Harlock (1991No. 3 role and found sophomore 93) are the only three-time Luke Dwyer. captains. ���He played at Huron High School ���This is Luke Glendening���s then he tried out for a junior team team,��� fifth-year senior goalie in the North American League and Shawn Hunwick said. ���It���s his made it, but decided just to go to third year as a captain. His school last year so he didn���t play,��� story is as good as anybody���s. Berenson said. ���He���s a good kid. A lot of people hype up my I can���t tell you I���ve seen him play story, but I think his is more recently, but he skated off and on impressive, going from walkwith our guys this summer, and on to being an alternate cap- Senior forward Luke Glendening will be team captain for a sec- the feeling is he���ll be fine.��� tain as a sophomore with ond straight year, becoming the seventh Wolverine in school seven or eight seniors voting history to serve in that role in consecutive seasons.by jules ameel Challenging Schedule photo for him.��� ��� Michigan opens the season Hunwick, senior defenseman Greg Pateryn and senior forwith exhibition games Oct. 1 and Oct. 3 and will then play ward David Wohlberg have been elected alternate captains, four regular-season contests in nine days from Oct. 4-13 though Hunwick may not wear the ���A��� on his chest during before returning to a normal schedule of two games per games. weekend, beginning Oct. 21-22 at Northern Michigan. ���We consider him a captain, but I don���t want him worThe first half of the season is loaded with U-M home rying about acting like a captain during a game, in terms games; the Maize and Blue will play at Yost Ice Arena in their of talking to referees,��� head coach Red Berenson said. ���We first four contests and in 13 of their first 20 with two neutral think we���ll have solid leadership on the ice with Pateryn and site games Dec. 29-30 for the Great Lakes Invitational. Wohlberg supporting Luke Glendening, and every day in In the second half of the season (post-Jan. 1), the Wolverpractice Hunwick will be in that captain���s circle.��� ines play only six of 14 games at home. 60��� the wolverine��� ������ October 2011