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The College of Holy Cross to host Atlantic Hockey Tournament
September 8, 2005
Wakefield, Mass. -- The College of the Holy Cross will host the 2006 Atlantic Hockey Association Tournament semifinals and championship game at the Hart Center on Friday and Saturday, March 17 and 18 as announced by Commissioner Bob DeGregorio. The winner will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Regionals.
“Holy Cross has a great facility for hosting our tournament,” stated DeGregorio. “They have hosted many NCAA and conference tournaments in the past and I know they will make the Atlantic Hockey Tournament a special event.”
Holy Cross will be the third team in the last three years to host this annual event with the United States Military Academy’s Tate Rink hosted the inaugural tournament in 2004, where the Crusaders earned the automatic bid. Tate Rink hosted all four rounds over an eight-day span. Last season Quinnipiac University’s Northford Ice Pavilion hosted the semifinals and finals with the first round and quarterfinals being played at the highest seed. Mercyhurst will be the defending tournament champion.
All eight schools will play in quarterfinal round match-ups on Saturday March 11 at the highest seed. The quarterfinal round will be a single game with the semifinals and finals being played the next weekend.
"We are excited to host the Atlantic Hockey semifinals and championship game," said Bill Bellerose, Holy Cross Associate Athletic Director and former Crusader head hockey coach and hall of famer. "Hockey has become very big on our campus since the Atlantic Hockey Tournament champion has been able to get an automatic bid into the NCAAs, so I think hosting this type of event is something to look forward to."
"Our program is extremely excited about hosting the Atlantic Hockey Championships in March," said Crusader head coach Paul Pearl. "We have hosted twice in the past, and the city of Worcester and our student body have enthusiastically supported it."
Tickets can be purchased by calling the Holy Cross ticket office at (508) 793-2573 or at any home Holy Cross hockey game. Tickets can also be purchased as part of the season ticket package.
The Atlantic Hockey Association arose when nine institutions joined together on June 30, 2003, to found a new Division-I men’s ice hockey conference. The league currently consists of eight members: American International College, Army, Bentley College, Canisius College, the University of Connecticut, the College of the Holy Cross, Mercyhurst College, and Sacred Heart University. Next season the Air Force Academy and Rochester Institute of Technology will join Atlantic Hockey beginning next season.
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