St. Cloud State, Western Michigan To Join UMD in NCHC

Should be an interesting conference, especially if Notre Dame decides to join.

While the fledgling National Collegiate Hockey Conference has awaited a word from Notre Dame about joining for the league’s debut in 2013-14, it appears the conference has two additions — St. Cloud State and Western Michigan of Kalamazoo, Mich.

The NCHC issued a press release Wednesday saying conference membership invitations have been sent to the two schools. Both are expected to officially accept the invitations Thursday. St. Cloud State of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association has a 1 p.m. Thursday press conference scheduled to address the subject.

The Kalamazoo Gazette is reporting that Western Michigan of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association will officially announce intentions to join Thursday. That would bring league membership to eight along with Minnesota Duluth, North Dakota, Denver, Colorado College, Nebraska-Omaha and Miami of Ohio.

The Gazette notes that Western Michigan’s move to join the NCHC has been confirmed by multiple sources. The school, as part of the CCHA, had been invited to join the WCHA for 2013-14, but declined that offer, said the Gazette. St. Cloud State also is expected to join the NCHC, said the Gazette.

via St. Cloud State, Western Michigan to join UMD in NCHC | Duluth News Tribune | Duluth, Minnesota.