College Hockey America
College Hockey America (CHA) was a group of American colleges and universities that played NCAA Division I women's ice hockey against one another every season. It was founded in 1999 as a men's hockey conference, with women's teams joining in 2002. The men's side of CHA folded after the 2009–10 season. It continued as a women-only league through the 2023–24 season, after which it merged with the men-only Atlantic Hockey Association to form Atlantic Hockey America.[1]
Before the merger, CHA had close ties with the Atlantic Hockey Association. Although the conferences had separate bylaws and governing boards, they had a single commissioner and a combined office staff from 2010 to the merger.[2] Also, three of the final CHA members housed their men's teams in the Association.
Final members change
All of the final members are now in Atlantic Hockey America.
- Lindenwood University
- Mercyhurst University
- Pennsylvania State University ("Penn State")
- Rochester Institute of Technology ("RIT")
- Robert Morris University
- Syracuse University
Of the final members, Mercyhurst, RIT, and Robert Morris had varsity men's teams in the Association; all of that conference's final members are now in the merged AHA. Penn State has a men's varsity team that plays in the school's all-sports conference, the Big Ten. Syracuse has a men's team, but it plays at club level, outside the NCAA structure.
Former members change
Men's teams change
- United States Air Force Academy ("Air Force") (1999–2006) — now in Atlantic Hockey America
- University of Alabama in Huntsville ("Alabama–Huntsville" or "UAH") (1999–2010) — was in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) before the team's suspension in 2021
- United States Military Academy ("Army") (1999–2000) — now in Atlantic Hockey America
- Bemidji State University (1999–2010) — now in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA)
- University of Findlay (1999–2004) — dropped men's and women's hockey
- Niagara University (1999–2010) — now in Atlantic Hockey America
- Robert Morris University (2004–2010) — now in Atlantic Hockey America
- Wayne State University (1999–2008) — dropped men's hockey
Women's teams change
- University of Findlay (2002–2004) — dropped men's and women's hockey
- Niagara University (2002–2012) — dropped women's hockey
- Quinnipiac University (2004–2005) — now in ECAC Hockey
- Wayne State University (2002–2011) — dropped women's hockey
References change
- ↑ "Atlantic Hockey and College Hockey America Join to Form Atlantic Hockey America" (Press release). Atlantic Hockey America. April 30, 2024. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
- ↑ "Atlantic Hockey Association and College Hockey America to Merge Operations in 2024" (Press release). College Hockey America. June 6, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
- "College Hockey America". collegehockeyamerica.com. Archived from the original on 2010-02-13. Retrieved 2012-02-25.