Atlantic Hockey America

Atlantic Hockey America

Formerly	MAAC (Men) (1997–2003) Atlantic Hockey (Men) (2003–24) College Hockey America (Women) (2002–24)
Association	NCAA
Founded	Men: 1997 (as MAAC) Women: 2002 (as CHA)
First season	2024–25
Commissioner	Michelle Morgan (since 2024)
Sports fielded	Ice hockey
Division	Division I
No. of teams	11: Men's (10 in 2025) 6: Women's
Headquarters	Boston, Massachusetts
Region	Northeastern United States, Colorado and Missouri
Official website	atlantichockeyonline.com
Locations

Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) is a college ice hockey conference which operates primarily in the northeastern United States. It participates in NCAA Division I as an ice hockey-only conference.[1] The conference was formed by the merger of the men-only Atlantic Hockey Association and the women-only College Hockey America (CHA).[2]

History

In 2010, the men's division of CHA collapsed and two of the remaining teams joined the Atlantic Hockey Association.[3] At that time, the two leagues began working together by sharing a commissioner and administrative staff in order to streamline their operating costs.[4] The arrangement worked well enough that by 2023, the two entities decided to formalize their relationship and announced that they were merging. The new league would begin in the 2024–25 season and would welcome a new women's member, Delaware, the following year.[5] However, the number of men's members will be reduced by one in the same year as AIC drops its program to the Division II level, opting to place its hockey program in its all-sports conference of the NE-10.[6][7]

Membership

Three schools, Mercyhurst, RIT and Robert Morris, have programs in both the men's and women's divisions. Holy Cross, Lindenwood, Penn State and Sacred Heart each operate teams of both sexes, but only one is a member of AHA. Niagara and Syracuse only have one varsity program active as of 2024 but both previously supported the other gender.[8]

Current

Conference affiliations are current for the first season of the merged AHA in 2024–25.
  Member departing for Division II in 2025.

Institution	Location	Nickname	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Joined	Men's	Women's	Primary Conference	Colors
United States Air Force Academy	USAF Academy, Colorado[a]	Falcons	1954	Public/Federal	4,400	2024	Y	N	Mountain West
American International College	Springfield, Massachusetts	Yellow Jackets	1885	Private/Non-sectarian	1,700	2024	Y	N	Northeast-10 (D-II)
United States Military Academy	West Point, New York	Black Knights	1802	Public/Federal	4,400	2024	Y	N	Patriot League
Bentley University	Waltham, Massachusetts	Falcons	1917	Private/Non-sectarian	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	University Park, Pennsylvania[c]	Nittany Lions	1855	Public/State-related	44,817	2024	Big Ten	Y	Big Ten
Robert Morris University	Moon Township, Pennsylvania	Colonials	1921	Private/Non-sectarian	4,005	2024	Y	Y	Horizon
Rochester Institute of Technology	Henrietta, New York	Tigers	1829	Private/Non-sectarian	16,842	2024	Y	Y	Liberty League (D-III)
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

1. The Academy grounds lie almost entirely outside the Colorado Springs city limits. The U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Census Bureau respectively treat the Academy as "USAF Academy" and "Air Force Academy".
2. The campus mailing address is "Niagara University".
3. The entire Penn State campus is designated by the U.S. Postal Service as "University Park". It straddles the boundary between State College and College Township.

Future

Primary conference affiliation is current for the first season of AHA play.

Institution	Location	Nickname	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Joining	Men's	Women's	Primary Conference[a]	Colors
University of Delaware	Newark, Delaware	Fightin' Blue Hens	1743	Public[b]	23,281	2025	N	Y	CUSA

1. As of the date of joining AHA.
2. 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.

Timeline

American International

Army

Bentley

Canisius

Holy Cross

Mercyhurst

Niagara

Penn State

RIT

Robert Morris

Sacred Heart

Syracuse

Delaware

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Location of teams in the Northeast
full
future
departing

  Men     Women     Both  

Champions

Conference arenas

Men's   Departing member School Hockey Arena Location Capacity Air Force Cadet Ice Arena USAF Academy, CO 2,502 American International MassMutual Center Springfield, MA 6,866 Army Tate Rink West Point, NY 2,648 Bentley Bentley Arena Waltham, MA 1,917 Canisius LECOM Harborcenter Buffalo, NY 1,800 Holy Cross Hart Center Worcester, MA 1,600 Mercyhurst Mercyhurst Ice Center Erie Insurance Arena (alternate) Erie, PA 1,500 6,833 Niagara Dwyer Arena Lewiston, NY 1,400 RIT Gene Polisseni Center Blue Cross Arena (alternate) Henrietta, NY Rochester, NY 4,300 10,556 Robert Morris Clearview Arena Neville Township, PA 1,200 Sacred Heart Martire Family Arena Fairfield, CT 3,600

Women's   Future member School Hockey Arena Location Capacity Delaware Fred Rust Ice Arena Newark, DE 2,500 Lindenwood Centene Community Ice Center Maryland Heights, MO 2,500 Mercyhurst Mercyhurst Ice Center Erie, PA 1,500 Penn State Pegula Ice Arena University Park, PA 6,000 RIT Gene Polisseni Center Henrietta, NY 4,300 Robert Morris Clearview Arena Neville Township, PA 1,200 Syracuse Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion Syracuse, NY 350

Awards

See also

• Atlantic Hockey
• College Hockey America
• MAAC Awards

References

1. "Atlantic Hockey Association and College Hockey America to Merge Operations in 2024". Atlantic Hockey Association. June 6, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
2. "Atlantic Hockey, CHA women will combine as Atlantic Hockey America for 2024-25 season". USCHO. April 30, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
3. Shaver, Wally. "News and notes from the 2008 NCAA Men's Frozen Four". Retrieved 2010-01-28.
4. "Atlantic Hockey Association and College Hockey America to Merge Operations in 2024". Atlantic Hockey Association. June 6, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
5. "University of Delaware to Join College Hockey America for 2025-26 Season" (Press release). College Hockey America. December 1, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
6. "AIC Dropping Program Back to Division II". College Hockey News. November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
7. "AIC Moving to Division II at Conclusion of 2024-2025 Season" (Press release). Atlantic Hockey America. November 13, 2024. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
8. "Niagara University Announces Restructuring Of Athletics Programs". Niagara University. March 19, 2012. Retrieved 2012-03-19.

External links

• Atlantic Hockey Online