Bob DeGregorio, the only commissioner Atlantic Hockey has ever known in its seven seasons, will get at least three more years on the job.
On Friday DeGregorio signed an extension to his contract through the year 2013 to govern a league which has expanded twice in the past four years to 12 schools for next season.
“I feel great, very happy,’’ DeGregorio, 63, said from his offices in Haverhill, Mass. “I think the league is making great strides.’’
Nine member schools of the former Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Hockey League founded Atlantic Hockey in June 2003: American International, Army, Bentley, Canisius, Connecticut, Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart.
Quinnipiac departed for the ECAC Hockey League in 2005-06, but DeGregorio was instrumental in adding Air Force from College Hockey America and Rochester Institute of Technology, which was moving up from NCAA Division III to Division I, in 2006-07. Last year the league announced it would absorb Niagara and Robert Morris from the CHA, which will cease operations after this season.
“We are extremely fortunate and pleased to continue to have him lead this league,’’ said Bill Bellerose, the chair of the Atlantic Hockey executive committee. “He has guided us through two expansions, and continues to improve the visibility of Atlantic Hockey both regionally and nationally.’’
The initial expansion raised the profile of the league – Air Force has captured the playoff title all three seasons and posted its first NCAA tournament win in 2009 – and the second expansion firms up a “western” base of operations for a league with five New England members and one in nearby eastern New York.
“Bob has been the cornerstone of Atlantic Hockey, and continues to lead this league to new heights,’’ Bellerose said. “His work ethic for our member institutions is unparalleled.’’
DeGregorio was instrumental in instituting a multi-year strategic plan to strengthen the league, which included raising the scholarship level to 12 and the elimination of games against Division III foes.
“We have made steps, and I have to give credit to the directors and coaches because they have taken steps to make their programs better and the league better,’’ DeGregorio said.
The league has started to attract better recruits, and the players are gaining national recognition. Eric Ehn of Air Force and Josh Kassel of Army have earned All-America status. Ehn was a finalist for the Hobey Baker award and Air Force’s Jacques Lamoureux was a Hobey Baker semifinalist.
Atlantic Hockey still lags behind in out-of-conference success but has still managed to pull off a couple stunning wins per season. Army beat Miami (Ohio) last season when the Redhawks were No. 2 in the nation, and future member Robert Morris knocked off Miami twice this season. Holy Cross and Air Force have both posted wins in the NCAA tournament.
DeGregorio likes the progress the league has made.
“I think we’re even going to be better than we’ve been,’’ he said. “I think the schools are investing more, they are working harder to be successful and there’s no question in my mind how hard the coaches are working in this league. We have a great bunch of coaches. They have been dedicated to the student-athletes, the schools and making their programs better.’’
Air Force’s run into the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament – halted by a triple-overtime goal by Vermont – was huge exposure for Atlantic Hockey, but nothing like an appearance in the Frozen Four would provide, much like the boost Bemidji State earned last year.
DeGregorio insists that moving the tournament finals to the neutral-site Blue Cross Arena in Rochester has been a positive, although the city has been slow to warm to the two-day event. The initial three-year contract (2007-09) is now headed for its second rollover year, for 2010 and 2011. RIT has attracted some of its fervent fans – although the Tigers have yet to escape the semifinal round – and DeGregorio is hoping fans from Niagara, Canisius, Mercyhurst and Robert Morris will begin making the reasonable trip to Rochester.
“I’d like to be able to say, ‘Hey, that championship game tonight, we had 10,000 people,’’’ DeGregorio said. “I would be absolutely ecstatic about it.’’
With the expansion to 12 schools next season, DeGregorio said the decision has been made to include every team in the playoffs: There will be four opening-round single-game playoffs, followed by four best-of-three quarterfinal series.
One frustration for DeGregorio has been his inability to secure a national or regional television season-long package for Atlantic Hockey games – he did recently sign a deal with CBS College Sports for two telecasts per year for the next five seasons. The internet company B2 Networks have carried regular-season and playoff games – including the championship – the past two seasons, but DeGregorio would still like to get the Atlantic Hockey Final Four on cable TV.
