Men's college hockey: from WCHA to NCHC

SCSU Campus, ST. CLOUD, MN - Last Thursday St. Cloud State University announced that it's men's hockey team will be leaving the WCHA to join the NCHC in the 2013-14 season. We've heard from President Earl H. Potter III, Bob Motzko and other officials about the NCHC move. But what about the players?

"Looks to be like it's gunna be the best league in the country," said Drew LeBlanc, sr. captain and forward.

Leaving the WCHA is a big deal. The men's hockey team will make history competing in the second to the last season that St. Cloud State is a part of the WCHA. Forty percent of the team was born the year St. Cloud State joined the WCHA in 1990 (See team roster for birth dates.) Ryan Faragher, fr. goalie, was born in 1990 and grew up wanting to be in the WCHA.

"Learning about it I always wanted to be in the WCHA," Faragher said. "It's a tradition of winning."

LeBlanc and Faragher both believe the leftover teams from the CCHA will merge with the WCHA to form a conference.

Garrett Milan, fr. forward, is anticipating the new conference but much more exited for this season.

"Everyone's probably gunna want to go to the new league and the new teams," said Garrett Milan, fr. forward. "But I think the WCHA is still gunna have a rich history."

Some of the players agree there will not be much of a change from switching to the NCHC conference. Some will continue playing for the team in the 2013-14 season while others won't get the chance to.

"I think if you talk to any other guys on the team right now everyone's worried about this year," said Mike Lee, captain and sr. goalie. "Especially for a guy like me that's not gunna experience any of the changes; we're worried about making our mark in the league the way it is now."

Coach Motzko encourages the players to focus their attention on this season instead of wondering about the NCHC conference. The first game is next week against Alaska.

"I am excited to see some new teams... but we're still in the WCHA for two years. I think these next two seasons are important," Faragher said.

The St. Cloud State team is focusing on the now instead of the future.

Team Roster:
http://goo.gl/iZpkc

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