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 | |
| Division | Division I |
| No. of teams | 9: Men's 7: Women's |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Region | Northeastern United States, Colorado and Missouri |
| 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 in 2023 by the merger of the men-only Atlantic Hockey Association and the women-only College Hockey America (CHA).[2]
History
[edit]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 began with the 2024–25 season and welcomed a new women's member, Delaware, in 2025.[5] However, the number of men's members was reduced by one in the same year as AIC dropped its program to the Division II level, opting to place its hockey program in its all-sports conference of the NE-10.[6][7] A little over a year later, Mercyhurst announced that it was discontinuing its men's program but would continue to support its women's team.[8]
Membership
[edit]Two schools, 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 genders, but only one is a member of AHA. Mercyhurst, Niagara and Syracuse only have one varsity program active as of 2026 but each previously supported the other gender.[9]
Current
[edit]- ↑ 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".
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ The campus mailing address is "Niagara University".
- ↑ 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. Penn State's hockey arena is physically in College Township.
Former
[edit]| Institution | Location | Nickname | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Joined | Left | Men's | Women's | Current Conference | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American International College | Springfield, Massachusetts | Yellow Jackets | 1885 | Private/Secular | 1,700 | 2024 | 2025 |  |  | Northeast-10 | |
| Mercyhurst University | Erie, Pennsylvania | Lakers | 1926 | Private/Catholic | 4,055 | 2024 | 2026 | | | None |
Timeline
[edit]
Men Women Both
Champions
[edit]Men's
[edit]| Season | Tournament | Regular Season Champion | Tournament Champion | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 2025 | Holy Cross (1) | Bentley (1) | Atlantic Hockey America men's division founded by Air Force, American International, Army, Bentley, Canisius, Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Niagara, Robert Morris, RIT, and Sacred Heart. Final AHA season for American International (left for the NE-10). |
| 2025–26 | 2026 | Bentley (1) | Bentley (2) | Final AHA season for Mercyhurst (discontinued). |
Women's
[edit]| Season | Tournament | Regular Season Champion | Tournament Champion | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 2025 | Penn State (1) | Penn State (1) | Atlantic Hockey America women's division founded by Lindenwood, Mercyhurst, Penn State, Robert Morris, RIT, and Syracuse. |
| 2025–26 | 2026 | Penn State (2) | Penn State (2) | First season for Delaware |
Atlantic Hockey America tournament champions by school
[edit]Men's
[edit]| School | Championship years |
|---|---|
| Bentley | 2025, 2026 |
Women's
[edit]| School | Championship years |
|---|---|
| Penn State | 2025, 2026 |
National tournament history
[edit]Conference arenas
[edit]
Men's[edit]
|
Women's[edit]
|
Awards
[edit]Men's
[edit]
All-Conference teams[edit]
|
Individual awards[edit]
|
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Atlantic Hockey Association and College Hockey America to Merge Operations in 2024". Atlantic Hockey Association. June 6, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ↑ "Atlantic Hockey, CHA women will combine as Atlantic Hockey America for 2024-25 season". USCHO. April 30, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ↑ Shaver, Wally. "News and notes from the 2008 NCAA Men's Frozen Four". Retrieved January 28, 2010.
- ↑ "Atlantic Hockey Association and College Hockey America to Merge Operations in 2024". Atlantic Hockey Association. June 6, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
- ↑ "University of Delaware to Join College Hockey America for 2025-26 Season" (Press release). College Hockey America. December 1, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
- ↑ "AIC Dropping Program Back to Division II". College Hockey News. November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ↑ "AIC Moving to Division II at Conclusion of 2024-2025 Season" (Press release). Atlantic Hockey America. November 13, 2024. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
- ↑ "Mercyhurst to end men's hockey program". USCHO. March 27, 2026. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
- ↑ "Niagara University Announces Restructuring Of Athletics Programs". Niagara University. March 19, 2012. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
