August
18, 2005
Kennesaw Announcement Expected Soon
By James
Jahnke
Kennesaw State
isn’t a member of the college hockey family yet, but it
almost certainly will be within the next month.
College Hockey
America commissioner Bob Peters was in Georgia for several days
earlier this week to meet with KSU officials about the school
joining the conference for the 2006-07 season. Both sides termed
it a productive meeting, and KSU is expected to announce the formation
of a varsity hockey program in early September.
“We’re
in the final stages of decision making—the firming up stage,”
Kennesaw State athletic director Dave Waples said. “We think
this is a tremendous opportunity, and we’d like to do it
as soon as possible. There are just some loose ends we need to
finalize.”
One
of the loose ends is putting together a final budget proposal
for approval by KSU president Betty Siegel. The financial plan
then would be presented to the Georgia Board of Regents at its
Sept. 6-7 meeting. The board is only expected to review the initiative,
not vote upon it.
Shortly
thereafter, the Owls should become the sixth team in the CHA and
the 60th school with Division I hockey.
“We
want to make sure the business plan is in the best interest of
our athletic department,” Waples said, “and we think
it is going to be. We’re moving forward on it. It’s
on the front burner.”
This
week’s junket was the first time Peters had met face to
face with KSU’s hierarchy. He is believed to have expressed
the need for the university to make a decision in a timely matter
because schedules must be made and coaches must be hired.
Peters
said KSU has asked him not to comment directly on the school’s
hockey plans, but he did call his trip “a pleasant visit”
and said “a lot of nice things” have happened.
“It
takes time to know that all of your bases are covered,”
Peters said. “We certainly understand that.”
The
CHA needs a team to replace Air Force, which is moving into Atlantic
Hockey after this season and will drop the conference below the
NCAA’s minimum enrollment for an automatic bid to the national
tournament.
KSU will cash
in on the league’s new recruitment plan, which offers several
hundred thousand dollars worth of incentives to prospective members.
When they start up, the Owls are expected to play many of their
home games in Atlanta’s Philips Arena, home of the Thrashers
and Hawks, either before or after Thrashers games.
Location:
Kennesaw, Ga.