Atlantic Hockey America

college ice hockey athletic conference

Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) is a college ice hockey conference with most of its members in the northeastern United States. It plays in NCAA Division I as an ice hockey-only conference. AHA was formed shortly after the 2023–24 season by the merger of the men-only Atlantic Hockey Association (the Association) and the women-only College Hockey America (CHA).[1][2]

History

change

The Association first formed in 1997 as the men's hockey league of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and became separate in 2003. In the meantime, CHA had formed in 1999 as a men's conference and added a women's division in 2002. After the 2009–10 season, the men's side of CHA folded, with two of the remaining teams joining the Association. At that time, the two conferences began sharing an office staff with a single commissioner. By 2023, the Association and CHA decided to fully merge.[3]

Membership

change

Three AHA members have teams in both the men's and women's divisions—Mercyhurst, RIT, and Robert Morris. Holy Cross, Lindenwood, Penn State, and Sacred Heart have teams of both sexes, but house only one team in AHA. Niagara and Syracuse sponsor teams only for one sex, but used to sponsor a team for the other.

Current members

change

Main conference affiliations are current for the first season of the merged AHA in 2024–25.

Institution Location Nickname Founded Affiliation Enrollment Joined Men's Women's Main conference
United States Air Force Academy (Air Force) USAF Academy, Colorado[a] Falcons 1954 Public/Federal 4,400 2024  Y  N Mountain West
American International College Springfield, Massachusetts Yellow Jackets 1885 Private/Nonsectarian 1,700 2024  Y  N Northeast-10 (D-II)
United States Military Academy (Army) West Point, New York Black Knights 1802 Public/Federal 4,400 2024  Y  N Patriot League
Bentley University Waltham, Massachusetts Falcons 1917 Private/Nonsectarian 3,958 2024  Y  N Northeast-10 (D-II)
Canisius University Buffalo, New York Golden Griffins 1870 Private/Catholic 3,490 2024  Y  N MAAC
College of the Holy Cross Worcester, Massachusetts Crusaders 1843 Private/Catholic 2,897 2024  Y Hockey East Patriot League
Lindenwood University St. Charles, Missouri Lions 1827 Private/Presbyterian 12,213 2024 Independent  Y OVC
Mercyhurst University Erie, Pennsylvania Lakers 1926 Private/Catholic 4,055 2024  Y  Y NEC
Niagara University Lewiston, New York[b] Purple Eagles 1856 Private/Catholic 3,853 2024  Y  N MAAC
Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) University Park, Pennsylvania[c] Nittany Lions 1855 Public/State-related 44,817 2024 Big Ten  Y Big Ten
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Henrietta, New York[d] Tigers 1829 Private/Nonsectarian 16,842 2024  Y  Y Liberty League (D-III)
Robert Morris University Moon Township, Pennsylvania Colonials 1921 Private/Nonsectarian 4,005 2024  Y  Y Horizon
Sacred Heart University Fairfield, Connecticut Pioneers 1963 Private/Catholic 5,428 2024  Y NEWHA MAAC
Syracuse University Syracuse, New York Orange 1870 Private/Non-sectarian 19,082 2024  N  Y ACC

Future members

change

Several months after the merger was announced, CHA added a future member in Delaware, which plans to add a women's hockey team in the 2025–26 season.[4] Delaware's future membership transferred to the merged AHA.

Institution Location Nickname Founded Affiliation Enrollment Joining Men's Women's Main conference
University of Delaware Newark, Delaware Figntin' Blue Hens 1743 Public[e] 23,281 2025  N  Y CAA
(CUSA in 2025)
  1. The Academy grounds lie almost entirely outside the Colorado Springs city limits. The U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Census Bureau respectively call the Academy "USAF Academy" and "Air Force Academy".
  2. Mailing address is "Niagara University".
  3. The U.S. Postal Service calls the entire Penn State campus "University Park". The campus straddles the boundary between State College and College Township.
  4. Mailing address is Rochester.
  5. Delaware is legally chartered as a "privately governed, state-assisted" institution. This status is broadly similar to that of New York's statutory colleges, mostly housed at Cornell University, or institutions in Pennsylvania's Commonwealth System of Higher Education (such as Penn State).

References

change
  1. "Atlantic Hockey, CHA women will combine as Atlantic Hockey America for 2024-25 season". USCHO. April 30, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  2. "Atlantic Hockey and College Hockey America Join to Form Atlantic Hockey America" (Press release). Atlantic Hockey America. April 30, 2024. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  3. "Atlantic Hockey Association and College Hockey America to Merge Operations in 2024". Atlantic Hockey Association. June 6, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  4. "University of Delaware to Join College Hockey America for 2025–26 Season" (Press release). College Hockey America. December 1, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2023.