COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.-Arizona State has officially applied to be a member in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.
Arizona State athletic director Ray Anderson wrote a letter to NCHC commissioner Josh Fenton outlining the positives and potential of the second-year program, saying that the school will pay the NCHC's $20,000 application fee by mid-September.
Anderson also laid out plans to pay the rest of the $500,000 entry fee in installments of $100,000, should it be accepted.
Anderson's letter stated that Arizona State plans to have a new facility in place by the start of the 2018-19 season, which is when the Sun Devils hope to enter the NCHC. The letter didn't state any specifics about arena plans, though. Arizona State's current facility, Oceanside Ice Arena, is not a viable option to NCHC members.
The NCHC presidents are expected to decide on potential expansion before the end of the year.
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Minnesota State-Mankato, currently in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, also has formally applied for membership in the NCHC.
The NCHC currently has eight teams-defending national champion North Dakota, St. Cloud State, Minnesota Duluth, Denver, Colorado College, Omaha, Miami and Western Michigan.
