INCH had a pretty cool article about joining the WCHA, coming off the heels of the league officials deciding to lift the moratorium on expansion. If I get the time this week I'm going to have to fill this thing out, it's pretty funny and pretty true.

From insidecollegehockey.com
Application for Admission to the WCHA

1. Which answer best describes the current status of your program?
a) Our program has a decades-long tradition of hockey dating back to the post-War era and has won numerous national championships in other classifications.
b) Our school has added hockey within the past two decades, but has established a competitive program.
c) Our institution is new to Division I hockey, but we have an emerging program in a hockey-mad market.
d) We got uniforms and everything.

2. What is the capacity of your home arena?
a) Larger than 15,000
b) 8,000 - 14,999
c) Less than 8,000
d) The state won't build us one until we get in your league.

3. The playing surface at your home venue is ____:
a) Slightly smaller than Lake Superior
b) 200' x 85'
c) The DECC
d) Outdoors

4. Choose which best describes your non-conference scheduling policy.
a) We will host a holiday tournament and invite last-place teams from other leagues.
b) We are locked in to long-standing rivalries against regional and traditional opponents such as Alabama-Huntsville and Robert Morris.
c) Anyone. Anywhere.
d) All of our non-league games will be played at home.

5. Regional cable sports networks broadcast ____:
a) All of our games (home and road).
b) Some of the better matchups we play.
c) Our games against Denver, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
d) None of our games. We don't have cable in this part of the state.

6. We will attract top-notch recruits by:
a) Reducing our academic standards.
b) Wowing them with our extravagant home arena.
c) Targeting players born prior to 1987.
d) Paying better than our competitors.

7. If the WCHA expands to 12 teams, it is possible to grow the league tournament to include an additional first-round series and an added quarterfinal game in St. Paul. With that in mind, how would you like to receive your share of the league tournament proceeds?
a) Deposited directly into our athletic budget.
b) Sent via certified check to our assistant A.D. for finance.
c) Keep it to pay down our expansion fees.
d) In a big burlap sack with a dollar sign on it.

8. Where do you see your hockey program in 20 years?
a) Competing on the same level as traditional powers like Minnesota and North Dakota.
b) Rising to prominence over a period of years like Miami.
c) Making a sudden splash on the national scene like Notre Dame.
d) Not losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament every year like St. Cloud State.

ESSAY QUESTION NO. 1: A college hockey media member based in Chicago has recently written a piece praising Boston University, Notre Dame, and Denver. The following week, the same writer issues a piece stating that Boston College, Michigan, and Colorado College are overrated. Is the writer biased toward Eastern or Western Conferences/schools? Explain.

ESSAY QUESTION NO. 2: The WCHA is the nation's pre-eminent college hockey conference, but its members do not win the national championship every season. Please concoct a list of reasons a WCHA school didn't win the national championship despite its obvious superiority.

Choose TRUE or TRUE for the following statement:
Zach Parise and Phil Kessel are the two most important athletes in hockey history.

Look for a new team (or 2) in the WCHA in the near future.

CHN Staff Report

MADISON, Wis. — WCHA members voted unanimously today to lift its moratorium on expansion. The vote was taken at the league's meetings, being held in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with the annual NCAA Convention.

Lifting the moratorium is the first step needed for Bemidji State to apply for membership into the league. Due to the precarious state of the CHA -- expected to disband when the season is over -- the future of programs such as BSU has had a cloud over it.

The moratoium was lifted only through March 31, 2009, giving Bemidji just enough time to apply, and take its chances.

According to the league, "The lifting of the moratorium on expansion means the WCHA can entertain membership applications from any interested institutions who meet the league’s criteria for membership. Meeting the criteria for membership does not, however, guarantee admittance into the Association."

Review of any applications for membership received by the league office by March 31 would then take place at the league’s spring meeting April 26-28 in Marco Island, Fla. A vote on membership may take place at that time or may be delayed pending receipt and review of additional pertinent information.

Membership admittance requires a 75 percent majority vote of the current membership, there is one vote per member institution and the vote is cast by the institutional Faculty Athletic Representatives.

So much for the moratorium. I just found the following article on the Gazette from the wire that the WCHA is voting on a possible expansion today. I'll have more details as soon as I find out.

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association, meeting at the NCAA Convention, faces the subject of expansion today. A vote will be taken by the WCHA's 10 member schools on whether to lift a 10-year moratorium on expansion.

Bemidji State is a member of a dying four-team league, College Hockey America, which is expected by many to operate through 2009-10. Coach Tom Serratore's team will then need a new conference.

Each WCHA school has one vote today and a simple majority will be needed to lift the moratorium. If lifted, the league would be open to applications, and WCHA officials would screen schools meeting admission criteria. After any on-site visits to applying schools, the WCHA can invite applicants to make a presentation at league meetings April 26-28 in Marco Island, Fla.

To be admitted, an applicant would need eight of 10 votes. It's likely a new member would begin play in the WCHA in 2010-11, said league commissioner Bruce McLeod.

The Bemidji State women's program is part of the women's WCHA.