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UConn makes the jump to big-time college hockey

By WTOP Staff

PAT EATON-ROBB
Associated Press

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Seventeen years ago, the University of Connecticut was playing Division III hockey on an outdoor rink.

On Friday, the Huskies open the 2014-15 season as the 12th member of Hockey East, a conference that boasts eight national titles and storied programs such as Boston College, Maine and Notre Dame, which joined a year ago.

UConn has spent two years making the transition from a non-scholarship program and hired former Boston College assistant coach Mike Cavanaugh in 2013 to build what the administration envisions as a national-title contender.

“Right now, our facilities might not be as nice as some other programs’ facilities, our traditions are not where other programs are, but these kids share the same vision I have,” said Cavanaugh. “They want to be pioneers.”

Cavanaugh says he sees a lot of parallels between what his program is doing, and what UConn did with football a decade ago, when it completed the transition from Division I-AA to the Big East. The Huskies went to a bowl game in 2004, won a share of the conference title in 2007 and played in the Fiesta Bowl in 2011.

“I’ve already seen in the almost 18 months I’ve been here the resources the school is putting behind me,” Cavanaugh said. “I believe in time, hopefully, we’ll have that same type of success.”

UConn becomes just the ninth school with top-tier programs in football, basketball and hockey, joining Boston College, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin.

Hockey East Commissioner Joe Bertagna said that is part of what made the Huskies and Notre Dame attractive to the conference. UConn, with its 19 national titles in other sports, provides the league with name recognition that goes well beyond hockey fans.

“From that part of my job that has to pay attention to marketing and branding, it is important,” he said. Not only are we trying to reach an audience nationally for recruiting, but we’re trying to get people to watch our games on television.”

Cavanaugh said being at UConn give him the advantage of being able to pick the brains of national champion coaches in other sports. He said he took a weave-drill he saw Geno Auriemma using at a women basketball practice last year and modified it for his hockey team.

“A lot of the concepts in basketball are similar,” he said. “You get a rebound and you want to outlet it. Same thing in hockey with transition. All those other coaches have been fantastic with me.”

Since 1998, UConn has played hockey in a 2,000-seat on-campus rink with metal bleachers. A new facility has been promised, expected to be part of a campus-wide master plan that will be unveiled in December.

Until that arena is built, the Huskies will play the majority of their home games at the newly-renovated XL Center in Hartford. They have sold about 1,600 season tickets in the 15,000-seat building.

But Bertagna said he’s not worried about attendance, noting that UConn fans are used to traveling to Hartford to watch basketball, and to East Hartford for football.

The state has a rich hockey tradition that includes the former NHL Hartford Whalers and built-in rivals such as Yale and Quinnipiac, teams that played each other for the national title just two seasons ago.

Cavanaugh said the state also is a recruiting hot bed, with some of the top hockey prep schools in the nation.

“A lot of players from Connecticut helped us win national championships at BC,” he said. “So I know there is a wealth of talent for us to go after, and kids in this state grow up wanting to be part of the UConn brand.”

The team has some talent this year.

UConn won two games against Hockey East opponents last season, beating UMass and Providence. It also lost to Boston University. This season, they will play teams of that caliber almost every night, and junior forward Patrick Kirtland said they are anxious to show they belong in the league.

“Being picked to finish last, I think everybody knew that was coming,” he said. “But for us, we want to prove everybody wrong and surprise some people and I think we are going to do that.”

UConn plays at Penn State to open the season on Friday. The first home game as a member of Hockey East will be Nov. 5 against Boston College.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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