ACHA’s Organization and Divisions:
Conferences and Independents: There are several divisions within the ACHA for men and women (Men’s D1, D2, D3; Women’s D1, D2). Teams in these divisions frequently compete in conferences (WVU’s M2 team, for example, usually participates in the ACC Hockey conference). There are, nevertheless, “independent” teams that compete outside of the official conference system.
Regional Play: Teams are frequently divided into regions (Central, Northeast, Southeast, and West) for the purpose of qualifying for national tournaments, particularly in Men’s D2, which inevitably promotes greater regional scheduling.
2. General Principles of the ACHA Scheduling Process:
League Oversight Self-Scheduling: ACHA teams generally use self-scheduling to a considerable degree. This indicates that coaches, general managers, or team leaders of specific teams contact other teams to set up games.
Schedules of conferences (if any): The conference will require a chunk of the schedule for clubs like WVU’s M2 that are a part of it (like ACC Hockey). This guarantees consistent competition among their colleagues in the division. For these matches, the conference probably establishes particular times or slots.
Independent/non-conference games: Teams will actively look for non-conference opponents to round out their schedule outside of conference play. This includes:
Making connections: The general managers and coaches have developed connections with their counterparts at other colleges.
Typical Opponents: examining teams that are conveniently located or teams they have played against in past seasons.
Strength of Schedule: In order to qualify for the national tournament, teams frequently want to schedule opponents who will improve their ACHA ranking, which is determined by average goal differential, win %, and schedule strength. It can occasionally help your rating to play better teams, even if it means losing.
Home and Away Considerations: Teams must strike a balance between home games, which bring in money and are attended by local supporters, and away games, which require travel expenses. To cut down on travel, they will attempt to set up weekend or home-and-home series.
One important consideration is the availability of ice time. Compared to varsity NCAA teams, club teams frequently receive less priority for ice time. They have to negotiate with their home rinks (such as WVU’s new facility at Mylan Park) to set up times and dates that are convenient for the team and the rink.
Travel Logistics: Teams must account for travel time, lodging, and transportation expenses while playing away games. These logistics can be optimized by scheduling several games in a nearby location.
Academic Calendar: Games must be scheduled in accordance with the academic calendar to prevent clashes with important university activities, such as exam periods or major breaks.
3. The Particular Circumstance at WVU in June 2025:
Impact of the New Facility: WVU Hockey’s schedule will greatly benefit from the October 2025 opening of the new Mylan Park facility. It offers a reliable, committed home ice, which greatly facilitates luring opponents. Additionally, it gives them more options when it comes to providing premier gaming slots.
league Commitments: As previously stated, the M2 squad at WVU will play a certain number of games against other ACC Hockey league teams. These dates are probably already reserved or are awaiting confirmation from the conference.
Filling the Gaps: In order to cover the remaining dates on their calendar, WVU will be aggressively contacting other ACHA teams, most likely those in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast areas, in addition to conference play. Teams from neighboring states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, and Virginia can be among them.
ACHA teams frequently take part in multi-team showcases or tournaments, which are organized events that offer multiple games against a variety of opponents in one place. WVU may consider adding a couple of them to its calendar.
Recruitment Incentive: One of the main selling points for hiring is a finalized and appealing timetable, particularly with the new facility. It provides a clear path for aspiring players to pursue competitive hockey.
For WVU Hockey, “finalizing their schedule” in June 2025 entails:
Verifying Conference Play: Making certain that every ACC Hockey game is set.
Establishing Non-Conference Opponents: Getting in touch with other ACHA teams (coaches, general managers) to coordinate game times, dates, and venues for non-conference matches.
Scheduling Ice Time: Verifying all home game times and dates at the recently constructed Mylan Park venue.
Travel Planning: Making reservations for lodging and transportation for away games.
Public Announcement: Usually in late summer or early fall before the season starts, the schedule will be released on the WVU Club Hockey website and sometimes published on their social media platforms once it is essentially finalized.
When dealing with the availability of various teams and ice rinks, the coordination procedure is a constant back-and-forth that may take weeks or even months to complete.
Leave a Reply