Alabama-Huntsville is striving to become more attractive to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
The Chargers will be the country’s only independent next season and most likely needs league membership
to survive long-term as a hockey program.
WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod, Minnesota State president Richard Davenport and Bemidji State athletics
director Rick Goeb recently visited UAH, U.S. College Hockey Online reported.
UAH has increased its commitment to its program by adding a full-time assistant coach, a hockey-only
equipment manager and a director of hockey operations recently. The Von Braun Center, the Chargers’ home
rink, also was renovated.
Bowling Green will be a member of the WCHA in 2013-14 when all of college hockey’s realignment takes
affect.
"They’re working hard to improve things. They worked hard to make a good impression," McLeod
told USCHO.com about UAH.
UAH only has 28 games this season, and only one two-game series in January, February and March because
teams in the other leagues are concentrating on league play.
Of those 28 games, only 22 are against Division I schools.
The 2013-14 WCHA currently only has nine members, but a 10th a school would make scheduling easier.
The other WCHA members for next season are Alaska (Fairbanks), Ferris State, Lake Superior, Northern
Michigan, Alaska-Anchorage and Michigan Tech.
No timetable has been set for a decision about UAH, but USCHO.com reported the WCHA is expected to talk
about UAH at the NCAA meetings in Dallas in January. The WCHA could then ask UAH to apply for
admission..
UAH was competitive at home last weekend in a 4-1 loss and a 2-2 tie against Minnesota State last
weekend, although the Chargers were out-shot, 94-49. The first game drew a crowd of 5,106.
The Chargers are at St. Cloud this weekend. The Huskies are in the WCHA this season, but will move to the
National Collegiate Hockey Conference next season.
NEXT: BG, a 5-3, 4-1 loser at home last weekend to No. 8 Union, attempts to bounce back tonight and
Saturday when it visits Colgate (1-2) for a nonleague series.
BG is 0-2-1 overall.
FRESHMEN: BG freshmen forwards Ben Murphy, Mark Cooper and Brent Tate all are expected to help with the
scoring this season.
Cooper is a good skater who can make plays, Murphy is a goal-scorer and Tate combines skill and physical
play. All three have good size.
"They’re not going to be counted on to be the top three guys," Bergeron said. "They don’t
have to do that. We have guys who have been around here, who have been through things that should enable
those freshmen to feel their way along. But they’re also going to be expected to contribute."
Murphy and Cooper have played on one of BG’s top three lines so far, but Tate remains out with a back
injury and is not expected to play at Colgate.
STATS: Senior forward Robbie Bourdon leads Colgate with two goals and two assists this season after
totaling 12 goals and nine assists last season. Also returning is sophomore forward Joe Wilson, who had
10 goals and 13 assists.
Senior defenseman Jeremy Price, a fourth-round draft pick of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks in 2009, is the
team’s top defenseman.
Eric Mihalik is Colgate’s No.1 goalie. The junior has a 3.75 goals-against average and an .851 save
percentage in three games. Last season, he had a 2.88 goals-against and an .898 save percentage in 28
games.
PP/PK: Colgate is just 1-of-16 on the power play and have killed off just 10 of their 14 short-handed
situations.
HOMECOMING: After facing Colgate, BG plays six of its next eight games at home.
