Michigan women's hockey coach Jenna Trubiano gets asked the same question over and over again. “Are you going to go to the national team?”
It's a very simple question in theory, but there is no clear answer. The Wolverines have thrived, competing at the highest level possible under the current circumstances while expanding their presence on campus. But this issue is only becoming more important.
“It's no secret that Michigan has seven NCAA men's programs and zero women's programs,” Michigan women's hockey coach Jenna Trubiano told the Michigan Daily. That's the biggest difference anywhere.” “And because the men's varsity program is so prominent, a lot of people look at us like, 'Oh, why aren't you on varsity?' … (That's) the No. 1 question I get. is.”
“Why aren't you on the national team?'' It's certainly a puzzling question, but one that Trubiano can't answer. Because Trubiano and the women's hockey program are already doing their part to show why they deserve to be on the national team.
Now is the time for the University of Michigan to do its part.
Financial constraints, recruitment barriers, and finite resources are just a problem. Some of the many obstacles Trubiano and the Wolverines face. Even with the barricades, Michigan continues to move forward. But if the Wolverines had varsity status, they wouldn't have had to deal with them.
The most important barriers are outside of their control. It's up to the Michigan Athletic Department to break through that barrier, but efforts to break through it haven't begun yet.
It doesn't matter how much Trubiano has done for the program or how much women's hockey has grown considering the fact that the athletic department isn't making any moves. Even as the sport evolves, Michigan's athletic department remains dormant. This is not only a disservice to the Wolverines' women's hockey program, but also to the prosperity of women's hockey as a whole.
And in a state without a single varsity women's hockey program, stunting its growth is unacceptable.
Michigan State's vacuum is detrimental to Division I women's hockey. Girls who grow up playing sports have few options, and none of them are ideal. One way is to look for out-of-state varsity hockey programs. Another path is to play at club level. The final option is to quit the sport altogether. You have to sacrifice something with each option, and there is no better option among them.
Michigan State has an opportunity to be at the forefront of the growth of women's hockey in the state and to exemplify the idea of being the leader and the best. If we continue to lag behind the growth of the sport, the meaning of that philosophy will be undermined. Being the first varsity program in the state is consistent with the high standards the university is proud of. And that's what makes their lack of action so perplexing.
“I think for a lot of people, hockey is something they want to continue playing throughout their lives,” senior forward Katie Christiansen told the Daily. “So not having the option to play in-state, especially in a state like Michigan, definitely deters girls. I've seen a lot of girls quit after high school. But they… loved it and spent a lot of time on it. It was their youth sport, but they didn't have a path to doing it. So I think the program here will make a big difference. .”
The simple answer appears to be to elevate women's hockey to varsity status and make the Wolverines Michigan's first Division I varsity team. Although that is the ultimate goal, it is not that simple.
It is impossible to wave a magic wand and earn national team status. That process takes years. So the longer it takes for the athletic department to evaluate the possibility of removing the club tag, the longer the hockey team will have to wait. Athletic Director Warde Manuel's silence is deafening.
But there's no good reason for Michigan's stagnation, which adds to the frustration.
There's no reason to wait to take the first step. The Big Ten already has several teams that dominate the women's college hockey scene. In fact, three of her schools in the conference rank in the top five in the women's college hockey poll. Their success proves there's no reason the Wolverines can't follow the lead of Ohio State, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Penn State by adding a women's national hockey team.
The first step to getting to that level is to conduct a feasibility study. The evaluation takes approximately three months to complete and assesses several factors, the most significant of which is cost. At the end of the evaluation, schools will be provided with a breakdown of costs and a list of steps needed to move forward.
“For the NHL to pay for a feasibility study, a request must be made from an appropriate representative of the school, which is often either the athletic director or the president,” College Hockey said. Executive Director Mike Snee told the Daily. . “So we need the cooperation of schools to put together valuable research, because there's information about the budget, information about the strategic plan, other things that may be going on in the athletic department that the public is not yet aware of. Because we need information about it.”
President Santa Ono hasn't made any requests, but his contributions to the team are far-reaching. Covering the estimated $40,000 cost of ice time for the 2023-24 season is an example of his support for the women's hockey program.
And while Ono is willing to shell out $40,000 to support the women's hockey program, the Wolverines' athletic department can't even submit a request for data collection. This failure to act is a huge blow to women's hockey as a whole.
There is certainly a demand for women's hockey right now, so we can't use the lack of demand as an excuse. More people are watching women's hockey than ever before.
Last Saturday, fans flocked to Detroit for the Women's Professional Hockey League (PWHL)'s record-breaking game between Boston and Ottawa. 13,736 people lined up at Little Caesars Arena. 13,736 people came to watch the women's hockey game.
The best in women's hockey took to the ice, and the sport's recent growth was on full display. And it's an encouragement for young girls across Michigan to continue devoting their time, effort and energy to the sport. It's proof that success on the biggest stage can be achieved for women.
The Wolverines have worked incredibly hard to not only survive but thrive despite massive limitations. But the athletic department's failure to make progress shows how it is failing to capitalize on the growing attention to sports. Rather, they are actively suppressing growth.
Sure, the Wolverines remain competitive at the club level, but that's not proof that the club's standing is good enough. In fact, the opposite is true. This is a snapshot of how successful a program could be if it didn't have to worry about covering the cost of ice time or had the support of an admissions department in recruiting.
At club level, players and coaches are limited in what they can do. For athletes, there is no assistance with entrance fees or tuition fees. And coaches don't get paid.
“Myself and assistant coach Joe Upton have full-time jobs in addition to coaching. Given that these positions support us financially, it is our top priority. It’s a priority,” Trubiano said. “…If you look at other ACHA programs that we compete with, most programs have full-time coaches.”
Their dedication exemplifies the passion that drives this program forward. Balancing a full-time job and head coaching responsibilities takes a lot of effort and dedication.
With the question “Are you going to college?” ringing in his head, Trubiano is doing his best to arrive at an answer.
And it's time for it to happen. It's time for Michigan State to start pursuing varsity status for its women's hockey program, and it's time to strengthen its athletic department as well.
