by Mike McMahon/Staff Writer (@MikeMcMahonCHN)
The American International story from earlier this week — demoting itself to D-II status — was a punch in the gut for college hockey.
The AIC rags-to-riches story was among the best in college hockey over the last decade. The program was once a perennial afterthought, only to become a top program in the AHA.
Seeing that investment and hard work by many individuals disappear, isn’t a justified ending for the program.
Let’s call it like it is: They’re cutting the program. In some ways, this is almost worse than cutting it altogether. Dropping it back to Division II means the school wants to keep the enrollments and tuition revenue the program provides but doesn’t want to invest in it.
With room and board, it costs $62,180 per year for an undergrad at AIC. The Yellow Jackets have 32 players on its current roster. At the D-II level, it’s doubtful AIC will offer any athletic aid, aside from likely honoring existing scholarships for players who stay at the school.
According to some people I’ve talked to in the Northeast-10, the only D-II hockey league (and AIC is in the NE-10 for all of its other sports), the league prohibits athletic aid (even though it’s allowed by NCAA rules). Some coaches have questioned whether existing AIC players will be allowed to play in the D-II league if the school honors their athletic aid because of those rules.
The NCAA allows for 13.5 scholarships at Division II for hockey, but the NE-10 has a league rule prohibiting it — the teams operate more like D-III teams.
I’ll never forget 2019, when we were debating the 2019 CHN Coach of the Year as a staff. Army head coach Brian Riley, who had Lang on his staff, told me, “You have no idea what it was like there. No one could have done what Eric [Lang] has done at AIC.”
Before Lang arrived, the program averaged seven wins per year and had just one win in non-conference play in four seasons (1-16).
I’m guessing he won’t be interested in remaining at AIC to coach a D-II program. Lang has been a top candidate and finalist for multiple positions over the last few seasons and, as I wrote above, has turned down at least two offers I’m aware of. Lang was interviewed at Colgate,…
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