'New' WCHA to stick with 28-game schedule

When the WCHA breaks up and re-forms in 2013, the conference will stick with a 28-game schedule, Minnesota State athletic director Kevin Buisman said this week.

Buisman recently returned from the NCAA convention in Indianapolis, and the future WCHA schools all met there. Buisman was there, and said presidents of all nine of those schools were also there to discuss the future of the conference. MSU President Richard Davenport, it appears, has taken a real leadership role in the new league.

While they left the meetings without finalizing the WCHA's postseason format and location, they did decide to stay with an imbalanced 28-game schedule, not unlike what the league has now. That likely means teams will have 6-10 nonconference games to schedule, depending on how many trips to Alaska they make (teams that travel to Alaska are given an exemption that allows them to schedule additional games).

The conference that year will include MSU, Bemidji State, Alaska Anchorage, Alaska, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, Lake Superior State, Ferris State and Bowling Green.

Trying to do the math, it looks like they will play six four-game home-and-home series (24 games) and two two-game series (four games).

Mavericks release '11-12 schedule

Minnesota State released its 2011-12 men's hockey schedule on Tuesday morning, and the Mavericks will play 20 games (including exhibitions) at the Verizon Wireless Center. Here's the schedule, but check back for an update later with some thoughts on next season's matchups:

Oct. 3 — BRITISH COLUMBIA (exhibition)
Oct. 7-8 — @ Rensselaer
Oct. 14-15 — UMASS-LOWELL
Oct. 21-22 — @ Denver
Nov. 4-5 — @ Michigan Tech
Nov. 11-12 — ST. CLOUD STATE
Nov. 18-19 — @ Minnesota Duluth
Nov. 25-26 — ALASKA ANCHORAGE
Dec. 2-3 — @ Minnesota
Dec. 9-10 — ALABAMA HUNTSVILLE
Dec. 16-17 — COLORADO COLLEGE
Dec. 30 — USNTDP U18 (exhibition)
Jan. 6-7 — @ St. Lawrence
Jan. 13-14 — WISCONSIN
Jan. 20-21 — NEBRASKA OMAHA
Jan. 27-28 — @ Bemidji State
Feb. 3-4 — MICHIGAN TECH
Feb. 10-11 — @Alaska Anchorage
Feb. 17-18 — MINNESOTA DULUTH
March 2-3 — @ North Dakota