UB's D-I hockey debate put on ice

As a school in a cold-weather city, local hockey fanatics have often questioned why UB doesn't have Division I-A hockey team.

This summer, former NCAA president Gene Corrigan added more fuel to the fire by suggesting in his advisory report that the school would benefit from adding a hockey or lacrosse team to its athletics bill.

Corrigan's suggestions have aroused discussion among many local hockey fans that are excited by the possibility of a team.

"I think it would be great," said Ben Sawicki, a 19-year-old hockey fan that works at the pro-shop in the Pepsi Center. "I think all the local talent would go there because it is a good school. A lot of people from around here love hockey. I think it would be better than football."

Tapping into the local talent has become one of the strongest arguments for the expansion. Buffalo is loaded with young college-bound hockey players. For the last six years, the Western Division, which is comprised of Western New York players, has won the gold medal in the Empire State Games for scholastic hockey.

Derek Gilham, who has coached the team to three of its six gold medals, feels his players would benefit from a UB program.

"I think the biggest thing people don't realize is that there are a lot of mid-range Division I players that would stay," Gilham said. "Plus, for a family of four to go to a Sabres game, it can be expensive. When I played for Canisius, we had a lot of people come to the games."

One of those top-rated Western New York athletes that would be interested in playing on a UB team is 17-year-old Matt Bessing. Bessing, a Cheektowaga Central High School senior, played on this summer's Empire State team where he tallied six points, including a goal in the gold medal round.

Bessing said that he is starting to shop around for colleges and hopes to play somewhere close to home.

"I'm definitely looking to stay in the area," Bessing said. "I've already looked at Canisius and I'm going to go and visit Niagara University soon."

In addition to the outside interest that the idea of Division I hockey has created, the suggestion has also stirred debate on campus.

"I think it would be an excellent move for the school," said Garry Codick, president of the UB's club team for ice hockey. "This is a hockey town. If we could string together the advertising that the football team gets, a lot of people would come to the games."

Freshman business major Dan Silver said from a fan's perspective, he would be excited about the addition.

"Hockey is probably my second favorite sport," Silver said. "I watched Niagara when they went to the Frozen Four. It was more intense than an NHL game."

Niagara hockey's head coach Dave Burkholder, who has been with the team since its inception in 1995, agrees UB could create a successful hockey team. He also added that developing a hockey program is easier in the Buffalo area than building a football or basketball team.

"I've seen what it has done for our campus," Burkholder said. "You're going to have your growing pains but it only took us four years to make it to the final eight of the Frozen Four. Having a UB team would be competitive in terms of recruiting, but it would be nothing but a positive for Niagara."

Although many people in the community are in favor of the idea, the suggestion doesn't come without its problems.

First off, the school would need to create facilities to accommodate a team. Although the club team currently practices and plays their games in the Pepsi Center, a Division I program would be expected to have a weight room, better locker rooms and a larger rink.

"The facilities would be an issue," Codick said. "We don't have the facilities that a school like Delaware has."

In addition to the facilities issue, the school already has 20 varsity teams making for a tight athletics budget.

"The other, more important part of the Corrigan report is that we are challenged financially," said Paul Vecchio, assistant athletic director for communications. "Clearly hockey and lacrosse have a great track record in the Northeast, but to bring more expenses would be putting the horse before the cart."

Not all students are in favor of the idea either. Senior communication major Gifford Meyer thinks that adding hockey would create more sports problems than solutions.

"Personally, I'm not a hockey fan," Meyer said. "I think we should devote the money to the sports we already have. I don't think it's right for the university."

No matter which side of the debate one falls on, one thing is certain: UB won't be making a commitment to Division I-A hockey anytime soon.

"Nothing like that is going to happen overnight," Vecchio said.