by Moose Richards/CHN Reporter
While the University of St. Thomas doesn’t officially join the NCHC until July 1, its loss to Minnesota State in the CCHA finals effectively ended its tenure in that league.
It had to be a little bittersweet for the Mavericks — thrilled they won again, but probably wondering, “why not us” on the NCHC expansion spot.
Since joining the ranks of Division I, St. Thomas has improved steadily, going from 3 wins to 11, to 15, to 19 — and this year, 21. A CCHA regular-season or postseason championship, meanwhile, has eluded the Tommies. As has a D-I NCAA postseason berth, which it was eligible for this year for the first time. One more win at any point in the season may have been enough to get St. Thomas in at-large, but alas.
St. Thomas last made the NCAAs in 2020 as a Division III team, a tournament not ultimately realized due to the emerging COVID pandemic. You have to go back to 2014 for the last NCAA Tournament game UST played.
On the other hand, Minnesota State seems to have taken the Great Western Schism (the break-up of the CCHA and WCHA to create the Big Ten and NCHC) in 2011 personally. Since then, the Mavericks have won nine regular-season conference championships, six postseason conference championships, made the NCAA Tournament 10 times, have two Frozen Four appearances, and been National runners-up once.
It should be noted that Minnesota State has very publicly applied for membership in the NCHC multiple times over the years. One also has to imagine the Tommies are banking on local rivals who travel well — St. Cloud State, Minnesota Duluth and North Dakota in the NCHC — to help with attendance. That’s a problem Minnesota State didn’t seem to have, given its consistent large crowds. St. Thomas may get there, but it’s not there yet.
Which brings us back to MSU’s win over St. Thomas.
The NCHC is clearly getting a school with significant potential upside, a shiny new arena, a large media market, and deep pockets. For now, however, that’s all potential.
Minnesota State is the proven commodity. And it’s easy to see why it probably is asking, “Why not us?”
Moose Richards has been covering college hockey for nearly 30 years, first in International Falls, Minn., then for many years in Bemidji covering Bemidji State. He currently resides in Arizona and hosts the Puck Sparky podcast.