Canisius College Joins Atlantic Hockey

Canisius College Director of Athletics Timothy J. Dillon announced today that the Golden Griffin ice hockey team and the eight other remaining members of the former MAAC Hockey League will create a new conference, Atlantic Hockey, effective in the 2003-04 season.
The eight other schools are American International College, Bentley College, the University of Connecticut, the College of the Holy Cross, Mercyhurst College, Quinnipiac University, Sacred Heart University and the United States Military Academy.

The decision came after a Friday afternoon vote of the nine athletic directors. The schools were given a Monday deadline from the MAAC to decide whether the 25-sport conference would continue to oversee the affiliate hockey league.

Because the nine schools are remaining together, the NCAA has stipulated that Atlantic Hockey will retain an automatic bid to the tournament.

In addition to the creation of the new league, former Merrimack College Athletic Director Robert M. DeGregorio, Jr. has been introduced as the first commissioner. DeGregorio spent 20 years overseeing the Warriors' varsity programs and 24 total years at the North Andover, Mass., school.

DeGregorio is no stranger to guiding a major Division I hockey league, having served as commissioner of Hockey East from 1993-1996. Currently, he serves as the league's treasurer. He spearheaded the elevation of the Merrimack men's ice hockey program from the Division II to Division I level in the 1980s. The Warriors now compete in Hockey East.
DeGregorio also brought the 15 Division II sports at Merrimack from Independent status to an affiliation with the Northeast-10 Conference, is a member of the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Committee and is the Chair of the Northeast Region Advisory Committee.

“We appreciate the assistance of the MAAC to get us to this point,” said Dillon, who is also a member of the NCAA Division I ice hockey committee. “The NCAA has assured us that the new league will continue to receive an automatic bid to the tournament so we're excited about maintaining the growth of the Canisius program.” The MAAC Hockey League opened play in the 1998-1999 season and has sent its tournament winner to the NCAA tournament in each of the past three seasons.

Canisius has sponsored varsity hockey since the 1980-81 season, when current head coach Brian Cavanaugh led the Griffs from club status to varsity. The Golden Griffins competed in the ECAC West before moving to the MAAC Hockey League in its inaugural campaign.

The Blue and Gold posted a 12-21-4 overall record and an 11-13-2 league mark last season. Canisius was a co-host of the 2003 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Frozen Four at HSBC Arena in Buffalo.

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