HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - University of Alabama-Huntsville athletic director E.J. Brophy said it's "business as usual" in the hockey program's search for a Division I conference following an email last week from the team's most famous alumnus stating that "the existence of the program is greatly threatened."

Jared Ross, who played for the Chargers from 2001-05 before going on to play in the NHL, sent an email (printed below in its entirety) last Friday to more than 150 accounts seeking pledges to support the program. In the email, Ross stated that " ... the University of Alabama Systems is currently dealing with major budget cuts on the Huntsville campus and are very seriously looking at the possibility of completely demolishing Charger Hockey." It went on to say: " ... we must present to (UA Systems) that we have financial backing to keep the program running without the (university's) help and have a plan to sustain it in the future."

Ross directed recipients to return an attached pledge sheet to himself or current UAH hockey coach Chris Luongo.

"The UAH hockey community has seen generous support from alumni, booster club members and general fans for the program," Ross said in his lone statement to The Times. "We are currently going to continue to do whatever we can to support the UAH hockey program getting to a Division I conference.

"This season, Ohio State's coming down to play the Chargers on November 4th and 5th, and we're looking forward to selling out the VBC against the Ohio State hockey team."

Brophy maintained that no decisions have been made as to whether or not UAH plans to continue its support of a Division I hockey program, and he's continuing to look for opportunities for the team to find conference affiliation.

"We're moving on, business as usual, as far as keeping up with the hockey landscape around the country," Brophy said. "We're actively talking to people about the landscape of college hockey. We're on top of the developments in this situation.

"Certainly, in UAH athletics as a whole - and we don't have one sport, we have 15 - things are tight. Things are tight," Brophy continued. "We have to make decisions on a daily basis where we are good fiscal stewards."

Luongo acknowledged his involvement with the campaign and noted that this sort of situation is not uncommon for schools looking to make a major move, as UAH is in Division I hockey.

"This is such a crucial period for us, I think it's a good thing for anything that could be done to marshal the forces," Luongo said. "It is, in some ways, a time of desperation. There's a major realignment, and the push has to be there to solve this conference issue."

UAH - without a conference since the dissolution of Conference Hockey America following the 2009-10 season - is seeking a foothold in an every-shifting college hockey landscape. The creation of the Big Ten and National Collegiate Hockey Conference have rocked the foundation of the sport, creating an opportunity for the Chargers to file into an existing conference.

Months of conversations have not yet led to a conference invite, even while the Central Collegiate Hockey Association - which rejected a bid for UAH to join two years ago - remains in limbo after losing a handful of its member schools. The CCHA met Tuesday with representatives from four teams in the Atlantic Hockey Association to discuss expansion but has yet to offer UAH a similar opportunity.

Brophy, who said he speaks regularly with CCHA commissioner Fred Pletsch, has been told that UA-Huntsville is next in line for that sort of formal discussion. When that time comes, Brophy knows what the main topic of discussion will be.

"The elephant in the room is always the distance," Brophy said. "Any time you're talking about either one of the Alaska schools or UAH, the distance is always a major, major factor. In Division I hockey in this country, there are clusters of schools that are close to one another. UAH and those Alaskan schools are not in that cluster."

Pletsch had not responded to messages left by The Times as of Thursday evening.

Forrest Karr, athletic director at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, sympathizes with the Chargers' situation. The Nanooks are a member school in the CCHA and provide plane tickets, hotel rooms and motor coach transportation for visiting teams.

"I think our approach to that is to acknowledge it, and we know that's our one negative - our location," Karr said. "What we've tried really hard to do is show all the positives of our program."

UAH has discussed the possibility of providing a stipend to any member schools but generally is opposed to the practice.

"It's a little bit concerning where, in order to be in a league, you'd have to furnish league members with stipends," Brophy said. "I understand that you've got to do what it takes to be a in league. I've just never been a big fan of leagues requiring their members with money just based on geography. I also understand the concept of, if you want to dance, you've got to pay the band."

Karr also acknowledged the school's greatest asset, something Ross and UAH are banking on as well - the community's support.

"Like UAH, we have a long history," Karr said. "There are a lot of donors and a lot of corporate sponsors because of hockey. We have tickets sales. We have community goodwill. We're committed to our hockey program, and we're committed to spending the money it takes. That's not gong to change."

Brophy also addressed rumors that the team could move back to club status, which it began as in 1979 under then-volunteer coach Joe Ritch.

"As far as I know, we are investigating where we'd land Division I-wise, hockey-wise," Brophy said. "I'm very aware that the entire Southeast Conference plays club hockey, and they are capable of drawing nice crowds. But, as far as I'm concerned, I'm keeping my ear to the ground regarding these Division I hockey teams, how they're shuffling and how that might impact us getting into a conference."

Luongo has maintained that the process is likely to sort itself out before hockey season begins Oct. 1. In the meantime, fans of the Chargers won't be alone in monitoring their team's fortunes as the future alignment of collegiate ice hockey takes shape.

"We don't just operate in a vacuum," Karr said. "I don't think a day has gone by in the last couple months where I haven't talked to someone about Alabama-Huntsville. As this whole process unfolds, I really hope there is a way for this program to land in a strong, stable conference."

Ross's email, sent July 22

Dear UAH Hockey Alumni,

I hope this email finds everyone doing well. To say that UAH Hockey is at a time of desperation is an understatement. For those of you that have not yet heard the news, the existence of the program is greatly threatened. To break it down fairly short, the University of Alabama Systems is currently dealing with major budget cuts on the Huntsville campus and are very seriously looking at the possibility of completely demolishing Charger Hockey. I apologize for reaching out to everyone with such bad news, but the time to act is now for it is not yet to late.

As of about a week ago a group of your fellow Alumni have gotten together to formulate ideas and plans on how we can start to take advantage of the real potential that UAH Hockey has. We have decided that when the opportunity arises in the near future to sit down with the UA Systems, we must present to them that we have financial backing to keep the program running without the universities help and have a plan to sustain it in the future.

That being said, we need everyone's help now for a decision will be made almost immediately. What we are asking for are pledges. Basically, we need to raise as much money as possible to be able to present this to the UA Systems. Attached to this email is a pledge sheet in which you can fill out and email back to Chris Luongo, myself, or one of those who may have been in personal contact with you. You have my word that any pledge donated to the hockey program will remain confidential. Please give what you can, this is an investment in our program and will help keep the tradition that you helped build alive.

Gentlemen, I reassure you that this matter is something of extreme importance to keep our hockey program running and should not be taken lightly. If you have any questions, concerns, thoughts, and especially any other ideas on this subject please do not hesitate to email any of the members in the group named above. When contemplating your decision I would like each of you to take a moment and reflect back to your years at UAH, the people you met, the opportunities you were given, and the importance of UAH Hockey.

Thank you so much for your time and pledge,

Jared Ross