The Ohio State women’s team will remain a member of the WCHA and not join College Hockey America for the 2004-05 season.
Ohio State is a charter member of the WCHA’s women’s league, founded in 1999. The Buckeyes previously accepted an offer to join the CHA after the current season. With Findlay deciding to drop hockey, the CHA will be reduced to five teams, including no other Ohio-based team. The league will also drop below the required minimum of six teams for an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
“We are fortunate to be able to remain in the WCHA,” Andy Geiger, Ohio State athletic director, said. “We had looked forward to building a base for women’s ice hockey in our area, but when the University of Findlay dropped its team, it became obvious we needed to stay with our original alliance. This assures our students of vigorous competition at the highest level of the sport.”
“We are tremendously pleased to have Ohio State University remaining a part of the WCHA family,” Sara Martin, WCHA associate commissioner, said. “They have been an outstanding member of the league, a strong contributor to the on-going development of women’s collegiate hockey, and they bring an element of prestige to our membership as an institution with nationally-recognized academics and athletics.”
