Air Force Academy Joins Atlantic Hockey

April 12, 2005

Air Force Academy Joins Atlantic Hockey
Falcons Will Play Balanced Schedule of 14 Home, 14 Away in 2006-07
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The U.S. Air Force Academy has accepted an invitation to join the Atlantic Hockey Association and will begin competition in the league for the start of the 2006-07 season. The addition of the Falcons to the Atlantic Hockey ranks will bring the total number of members in the league to 10 teams when the 2006-07 season commences, and Air Force will become a full participant in the conference. The announcement was made today during a press conference held at the Cadet Field House on the Air Force campus in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Atlantic Hockey Commissioner Bob DeGregorio along with Air Force Vice Athletic Director Brad DeAustin and Senior Associate Athletic Director Michael Saks, were on hand to make the announcement. Also in attendance was men’s ice hockey head coach Frank Serratore, having recently completed his eighth season behind the bench for the Falcons.

“We have a lot of respect for the institutions in Atlantic Hockey and are thrilled to be a part of the conference,” commented commented Air Force Athletic Director Dr. Hans Mueh on the move. “The schools in Atlantic Hockey are strong academically and they take great pride in their hockey programs. We have played many of the teams from Atlantic Hockey over the past five years and have always had great competitions. We look forward to establishing new rivalries and continuing the traditional battle with Army. This is a great fit for our cadet-athletes.”

“Air Force is a highly visible and recognized name, and for Atlantic Hockey it gives our organization a Division-I institution that will take the place of Quinnipiac when it departs,” remarked DeGregorio at the announcement. “Along with Army, Atlantic Hockey now has the two service academies that play collegiate ice hockey, both of which have rich traditions and history, and the inclusion of the two institutions in our league will help in building our traditions and history. Air Force fits well academically with the other members of our conference, and competitively Air Force poses a challenge to the nine other teams in our league in 2006-07. I welcome our newest member to Atlantic Hockey and I look forward to seeing the Falcons compete on the ice.”

DeGregorio and Tim Dillon, former Athletic Director at Canisius and chair of the Atlantic Hockey Executive Committee, visited Air Force during the middle of January, when current member Army traveled to Colorado Springs to take on its fellow service academy. Discussion between the current members of Atlantic Hockey began in February regarding the dynamics of adding Air Force to the association, and after deliberation over scheduling for a 10-team league, a model was constructed in March that was acceptable to both the membership and Air Force.

For the 2006-07 season, the teams in Atlantic Hockey will be split into five pairs of two. Each pair will play a total of four games against its pair partner, two home and two away. A team will also play a total of four games against four league opponentes, two home and two away, for a two year period. The final eight games of the 28-game schedule for a team will come against the remaining four teams in Atlantic Hockey on a two-game basis, playing two games at home one year against the opponent and two contests on the road the following year. For the 2008-09 season, the teams will swap the opponents that were played four times and twice, the exception being the team’s partner. Each team in the league will have 14 home and 14 away games in conference play.

Air Force will be paired with Rochester Inst. of Technology (RIT), which was admitted to Atlantic Hockey in December of 2004 for the 2006-07 season. The remaining pairs will include Army and Connecticut, American Int’l and Bentley, Holy Cross and Sacred Heart, and Canisius and Mercyhurst.

“By adding Air Force to the fold, we have become a 10-team league, which is where we want to be at this moment,” said DeGregorio. “The concerns that have been raised regarding travel have been addressed and answered, because most of our members already play Air Force on a home and away basis every other year. Regardless of this, every member of Atlantic Hockey makes one or two major trips a year, and by adding Air Force it allows our student-athletes the opportunity to play in a great venue in one of the most beautiful regions of the country.”

“I am excited about our membership to Atlantic Hockey,” said Air Force head coach Frank Serratore. “We have a lot in common with the majority of schools in the league and it is very exciting to once again be in a conference with our fellow Service Academy at West Point.”

A charter member of the College Hockey America conference (CHA) since 1999, Air Force competed against six of the current Atlantic Hockey members in 2004-05, posting a 7-1-2 record against Atlantic Hockey opponents. The Falcons finished the season with a 14-19-3 record overall, and finished fifth in the the CHA this season.

Located at the base of the Rampart Range of the Rocky Mountains, the campus of the Air Force Academy spans 18,500 acres. The Air Force Academy is located 15 miles north of downtown Colorado Springs and sits at 7,163 feet above sea level. Upon graduation, cadets receive a bachelor’s degree and are commissioned at second lieutenants in the United States Air Force. The Academy is the youngest of the four service academies. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill authorizing the establishment of the Academy in 1954. The first class of 207 graduated in 1959. Nearly 36,000 cadets have graduated in 46 classes.

The Atlantic Hockey Association arose when the nine current members joined together on June 30, 2003, to found a new Division-I men’s ice hockey conference. The league includes American International College, Army, Bentley College, Canisius College, the University of Connecticut, the College of the Holy Cross, Mercyhurst College, Quinnipiac University, and Sacred Heart University. While Quinnipiac will depart the league in June of 2005 for the ECAC Hockey League, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) will join the league for the start of the 2006-07 season.

What the coaches of Atlantic Hockey are saying:

“Air Force brings further vibrancy to Atlantic Hockey. The academy has a national reputation, the rink is first class, and they are a good hockey team. Playing at Air Force will also be a great trip for the players in our league.”

* Gary Wright, American International

“We are very excited to welcome Air Force to Atlantic Hockey. We have tremendous respect for their program and all of the people associated with it. We look forward to continuing our rivalry with the Air Force Academy as a league member.”

- Brian Riley, Army

“We’re very excited that the Air Force Academy has been admited to Atlantic Hockey. It is a very prestigous school that possesses an established hockey program with a great facility and is coached by a class act in Frank Saratore. It is a great addition for the league.”

- Ryan Soderquist, Bentley

“On behalf of the University of Connecticut men’s ice hockey program we are extremely pleased to welcome Air Force to Atlantic Hockey. Our games have been competitive and well played in the past against them. We look forward to starting a tradition of playing them on a yearly basis with the same kind of intensity and sportsmanship that has gone on. It is exciting to have another full-fledged Division I member institution in our league and we look forward to them adding tremendous benefits as well.”

- Bruce Marshall, Connecticut

“We at Holy Cross are extremely pleased to have Air Force joining our league. Academically and athletically Air Force is a great school and they will add greatly to the competitive level of Atlantic Hockey.”

- Paul Pearl, Holy Cross

“We’re delighted that Air Force is joining Atlantic Hockey. Having a second distinguished service academy in the conference can only make the league better. Air Force has a respected program with great tradition. What the student athletes at both Army and Air Force have accomplished on and off the ice over the years is already well-known. We’ve had some great games with Army during the last six years and we expect nothing less from the Falcons”

- Rick Gotkin, Mercyhurst

“As a new member to Atlantic Hockey we are extremely happy at RIT to be associated with the Air Force Academy. Frank Serratore is one of the most respected coaches in College Hockey and our job here at RIT will definitely get tougher with the addition of Air Force.”

- Wayne Wilson, Rochester Inst. of Technology