2003-2004 MCRHL Sneak Peek

Here?s a look at all of the active members of the MCRHL this season and a preview of their potential. Ball State Cardinals (tentatively Division I) Active member since: 1995 Highest NCT finish: Division II Runner-Up (2) After a rebuilding year in 2002-2003 the Cards look to bring their play back up to the level of previous seasons. With the addition of freshmen Mike Schmitz and Billy Scott on offense and sophomore Jacob Jennings and freshman Nathan Berggoetz on defense Ball State has filled all holes that remained after losing defenseman Dan Guilford and forward Brian Childers due to graduation after the 2002-2003 season. With the return of senior captain EJ Whitney, junior Casey Borresen, junior Matt Heger, and sophomore Brent Hinshaw on defense and with junior Mike "Rock" Rauch in net, Ball State appears to have a solid defensive core. However, with senior Adam Knott, sophomore Phil Penny, junior Zack McKelvey, and sophomore Ian Stikeleather returning on offense the Cards should be able to put the puck in the net also. With hard work and team play this could prove to be a good year for the Ball State Cardinals. The Cardinals will also carry a ?B? team this season for the 5th consecutive year. Each year has brought improvements, and with the possibility of a ?B? team national tournament, the Cards should be motivated to put their best foot forward. Dayton Flyers (tentatively Division II) Active member since: 2003 Best NCT finish: N/A After many seasons as an affiliate, the Dayton Flyers will finally be making their first appearance as an active member in the MCRHL. UD has always had a few very talented players, but not quite enough to make a run at a full schedule. This season they will though, and look for them to be very fired up coming into their first games that will count for the standings. Expect a steep learning curve for this team as they adjust to playing many games against a wide array of opponents, but if history is any indication, there will be no shortage of effort or dedication. Eastern Michigan Eagles (Division I) Active member since: 1998 Best NCT finish: Division II Champions Eastern Michigan has quickly become one of the most travelled and storied teams in college roller hockey. In 2000, as the MCRHL broke into divisions, EMU joined DII with Ball State and Rose Hulman. After winning that division?s first national championship in 2001, the Eagles jumped to Division I. They played a year there before moving into CRHL Premier, where they spent last season. Now again they will play in Division I, against both Premier rivals, DII rivals, and new natural rivalries with fellow MAC schools Western Michigan and Miami (OH). This should be a very interesting season for EMU, as they look to make their mark nationally in DI, and look to leap frog Purdue and Michigan State for their first MCRHL crown. The Eagles will also field a ?B? team and one that was very competitive last year as a member of Division II within CRHL Competitive. It will be very interesting to see how they stack up to their rivals from, MSU, OSU, and U of M this season. Illinois Fighting Illini (Division I) Active member since: 1995 Best NCT finish: Division I Qualifier Illinois, another founder of the MCRHL, will find themselves with changes in their surroundings yet again this season. After playing a year in the MCRHL with mostly ?B? and Division II teams, the Illini will again be united with Big Ten foes Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State. In the late 90?s, U of I was consistently 3rd or 4th place in the conference, and they?ll look to regain that status or better in 2003-2004. The ?B? team had its struggles until last season, where it emerged as one of the better second teams. They will fight for supremacy in an MCRHL ?B? Division, which is shaping up to look very competitive. Illinois State Redbirds (Division I) Active member since: 1998 Best NCT finish: Division II Champion Illinois State enters this season after playing their first in Division I last year. The Redbirds won the Division II National Championship in 2002 and since then have looked to increase their stature in college roller hockey. With a lot of returning veterans, and a bulk of players looking to enter the club at the semester break, this could be a team that dramatically improves from start to finish. ISU will also be fielding a B team for the first time this season. We?ll see what kind of depth the Redbirds have and whether or not they can compete for the second team title. Miami (Ohio) Redhawks (Division I) Active member since: 2001 Best NCT finish: Division II Qualifier The final team of the MCRHL?s feathered fowl, Miami of Ohio always boasts a line-up full of talent and potential, and this season should be no different. Being in Division I against the former Premier powers will be a challenge for the hawks, but they?ve shown resiliency and depth in the past. Look for this club to pull some big upsets throughout the season. MU will also field a B team. With the competitive nature of that division, it?s anyone?s guess as to who will take home first, but the Redhawks will have a shot. Michigan Wolverines (Division I) Active member since: 1998 Best NCT finish: Division I Final Four The Michigan Wolverines have always been very competitive in the MCRHL, and this year should be no different. This is a team with rinks abound in their area, and they will be hosting games at Total Roller Hockey this season, in Wixom, MI. The rivalry with MSU has been fierce throughout the years, but dominated by the Spartans. Look for U of M to make their mark this year in their two league games against the Spartans. With the tough competition in the league, it?s hard to guess where they?ll finish, but you can almost certainly pencil this team in for the National Championships. U of M will also field a ?B? team, which has become very competitive over the last three years. They will definitely be one of the favorites to take home the second team tournament championship. Michigan State Spartans (Division I) Active member since: 1995 Best NCT finish: Division I Champions (2) For 5 years, the Michigan State Spartans were THE team in college roller hockey. After being upset in the first round of NCT III in 2001, the competition has only become more fierce. This season, the Spartans will have to win many battles just to win the regional championship, and then face off against the likes of Lindenwood, RIT, and Cal-Poly Pomona in that National Championships. As always though, Head Coach Rejean Tremblay will have his team ready to play, and expect some exciting games involving the Spartans this season. The B team will look to improve on a 9-15-1 record from last season and become the B team champion. Last year the squad introduced 8 rookies, and with their added experience, this should be the team to beat in the B team division. Ohio State Buckeyes (Division I) Active member since: 1999 Best NCT finish: Division I Qualifier Ohio State consistently has been the toughest team to figure out since joining the MCRHL. They?ve had wins over all of the perennial powerhouses, including Michigan State, and they?ve also had losses to Division II teams who caught them off guard. At face value, this year will be a bit different for the Bucks after losing their home rink in Columbus. That says nothing about their potential for a championship this year and that?s just what they?re hoping for. Purdue Boilermakers (Division I) Active member since: 1995 Best NCT finish: Division I Final Four The Boilermakers have had a lot of success over the past 3 or 4 seasons, arguably topped by their 2002 Final Four appearance, the year the MCRHL had 3 of 4 Final Four teams. This year looks to be a rebuilding year however, as Purdue was not going to have the depth to play in the Premier league even before the creation of the NCRHA. They?ve suffered some major losses due to graduation and eligibility expiration, but those experienced veterans taught valuable lessons to those that will lead Purdue this season. We?ll see exactly how much they learned as time passes. Western Michigan Broncos (Division I) Active member since: 2001 Best NCT finish: Division I Qualifier (#1 seed) The Western Michigan Broncos are coming off an incredible season where they fell short at NCT, losing in double overtime of the sweet sixteen. Overall they finished 27-4-1, with the MCRHL Championship and a 14-1-1 league record. The Broncos are returning 10 players from last year?s squad, including their top 2 forward lines, #1 defenseman, and both goaltenders. It will be very interesting to see how they stack up to the former Premier teams, and even more interesting to see if they can come away with another MCRHL Championship. Good luck to everyone in the upcoming season, and go to www.CollegeRollerHockey.net to vote for your pick to win the MCRHL crown in 2003-2004.