The Beaver men's ice hockey team, however, is a member of a different conference, the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association, which is affiliated with the NCAA-III and does not allow scholarships. With the uncertain status of Division II men's ice hockey, Bemidji State finds itself in a difficult position. The hockey teams cannot move down to Division III unless all BSU intercollegiate athletic teams move to the division, which would not be possible to maintain current NSIC affiliation and historic rivalries. While teams cannot play in a lower division, they can move up according to NCAA guidelines. As the second all-time winningest coach in college hockey history.
Peters knows how to build success.
The 1984 Beaver hockey team made history with a perfect 31-0 record en route to BSU's first NCAA II National Championship. In this decade, the Beavers have competed for the NCAA II National Championship every year since the title series was reinstated in 1993, winning four of the six national crowns. Most importantly to Peters, however, is the growing list of BSU alumni who have gone on to work within the ranks of BSU hockey as coaches, league officials, U.S. National and Olympic Team members. Peters feels that the Bemidji State hockey tradition will extend to the women's program as it is being formed and the men's program as it works to move to a new level.