Another breakaway — St. Cloud State?

Well, it appears Western Michigan finally made up its mind, and it's decided to go to the new National Collegiate Hockey Conference instead of the WCHA. That is not a big surprise.

But "The National" is not getting its most coveted school, it appears — Notre Dame — so it looks like it's dipping back into the WCHA for more and inviting St. Cloud State to join the breakaway league. Reports out of Kalamazoo, Mich., and Grand Forks, N.D., say that St. Cloud is expected to accept the offer.

Since North Dakota, Denver, Colorado College, Minnesota Duluth, Nebraska-Omaha announced they were leaving the WCHA to form the new league with Miami over the summer, St. Cloud State has been a part of the conversations to help keep the WCHA together. That included getting CCHA leftovers Northern Michigan, Alaska, Lake Superior State and Ferris State to join the league. Western Michigan was also invited, as was Bowling Green (there's probably a good chance Bowling Green will be in now).

After the NCHC's initial press conference, St. Cloud State president was vocal about his school not being part of the new league, saying: "The NCHC doesn't look like such a sweet deal for all of these teams." And: "We expected to be in conversations about (the NCHC). But as we looked at it ... we intended to say no."

This is a big blow to the remaining WCHA. St. Cloud State would have been a good rival for Minnesota State and Bemidji State and would have been a good balance, especially travel-wise, for a conference that would have had three Minnesota schools, two Alaska schools and four Michigan schools.

When all is said and done, the WCHA will be left with four current members in two years — MSU, Michigan Tech, Alaska-Anchorage and Bemidji State.

This also begs the question: If the NCHC is taking away six of the WCHA's remaining 10 teams (after the formation of the Big Ten) and if the WCHA commissioner had permission to expand and invite Miami and Notre Dame (presumably while several schools already were conspiring to form a new league), what exactly is the point of the new league? To change leadership? To bump off the little guys — MSU, Tech, Bemidji and Anchorage? To be "National"?

So, if all goes down as predicted, here's what the western conferences will look like (remember this all started almost exactly one year ago when Penn State announced it was adding hockey!).

WCHA

Minnesota State

Bemidji State

Michigan Tech

Northern Michigan

Lake Superior State

Ferris State

Alaska-Anchorage

Alaska (Fairbanks)

Bowling Green

NCHC

Denver

North Dakota

Colorado College

Minnesota Duluth

St. Cloud State

Nebraska-Omaha

Miami

Western Michigan

BIG TEN

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Michigan

Michigan State

Ohio State

Penn State

National sentiment

College hockey's newest, superest, breakawayest conference will be called the NATIONAL COLLEGIATE HOCKEY CONFERENCE, it was announced Wednesday at a press conference in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The open event didn't last long. It was mostly introductions, a brief history of the locale's connection to college hockey and a handful of softball questions directed at Denver coach George Gwozdecky and North Dakota athletic director Brian Faison (hopefully, more got asked during the one-on-one time allowed to media after the main event).

Both thanked the WCHA and CCHA and promised that the NCHC's team's will continue to be committed members of those leagues until they begin play in 2013-14. There were a couple of interesting nuggets, however:

• Faison said schools began having conversations about a new league as early as last falland that the league was not formed in haste.. This might have been the most surprising news of the day.

• Gwozdecky said the reasons for the new league included "uncertainty going forward, especially in scheduling and recruiting." He also mentioned that this is about "what makes the game better and what enhances hockey for these institutions."

• Faison said the league's steps include: 1. Setting up a nonprofit corporation. 2. Hiring a conference commissioner. 3. Researching and vetting additional members (Notre Dame is being pursued). 4. Media opportunities.

Meanwhile the WCHA finally issued a statement about the new league. You can read that here. Some comments from commissioner Bruce McLeod:

• "Obviously, it's a tough day for the WCHA and a sad one for me personally, and it's one that is not easy to put into perspective. We wish everyone well, but make no mistake, the (WCHA) is not going away. ..."

• "Our remaining institutions — Alaska-Anchorage, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech, Minnesota State and St. Cloud State — are absolutely committed to both Division 1 hockey and the WCHA, and as an association we will continue — as we always have — to provide a first-class product. ..."

• "As regards to our future, the WCHA has a short-term plan that we will implement immediately. In the long term, we will continue to formulate a strategic approach that will ensure the well-being of the association and its member teams for the long run. As a group, we remain committed and we are 100% confident our future remains bright."