According to a report in the Washington Square News, New York University is looking to advance its current club team to varsity status.
NYU could potentially join an ECAC Division III conference and plans are on the table to move the school’s home rink from the Sky Rink in Chelsea Piers to the Kingsbridge Armory being built in the Bronx.
“It is my goal to bring NCAA hockey to New York City and NYU,” Violets’ coach Chris Cosentino said in the report. “We have been contacted multiple times by the ECAC. From the beginning, my mindset in building this program was that winning is an important part of it, but not as important as doing well academically and community outreach.”
Katie Boldvich, the associate vice president for leagues, affiliates and championships for the ECAC, said the conference does indeed have interest in NYU hockey.
“If NYU were to decide to elevate hockey to a varsity sport, the ECAC would have further discussions with the athletic department in regards to their plans for a conference affiliation,” Boldvich said in the article. “With NYU’s location and the current geographic footprint of the league, they would potentially be a great fit in the ECAC men’s West hockey league.
“The conference would potentially gain a strong and well-respected institution with a renowned athletic department. NYU’s benefits of conference affiliation would include a strong conference schedule, recognition for student-athletes on a weekly and postseason basis and opportunity to compete in a league postseason tournament.”
College Hockey Inc. executive director Mike Snee has been in contact with Cosentino about the possible benefits of NYU going varsity.
“We thought that given the number of high quality players coming from the NYC area that it was important for us to pursue schools there,” Snee said in the report. “So with Chris [Cosentino], I was excited to know that he was interested to pursue it.”
John Sanful, the executive director of Ice Hockey in Harlem has been working with NYU hockey for years now and is elated at what may come to fruition.
“If [NYU is] a varsity program, what’s going to happen is that they’re going to receive more recognition for what they do both on and off the ice,” Sanful said.
