College Hockey America
| College Hockey America (CHA) |
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|---|---|
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| Established | 1999 (men's) 2002 (women's) |
| Association | NCAA |
| Division | Division I |
| Members | 4 (6 in 2012) |
| Sports fielded | Ice hockey (men's: no; women's: yes) |
| Region | New York, Pennsylvania |
| Headquarters | Detroit, Michigan |
| Commissioner | Robert M. DeGregorio, Jr. (since 2010) |
| Website | http://www.chawomenshockey.com |
| Locations | |
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College Hockey America (CHA) is a women's college ice hockey conference in the United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. The conference is currently made up of four women's teams in New York and Pennsylvania.
The CHA was founded as a men's-only league in the 1999–2000 season, with women's teams joining in the 2002–03 season. The men's division folded after the 2009–2010 season.
Contents |
[edit] History
The CHA was founded as a men's-only league in the 1999–2000 season. The conference was formed by seven teams, three of which were Division I independent teams, other three moving up from Division II, after the NCAA stopped sanctioning Division II hockey in 1998, and one new varsity program (Wayne State).[1]
The women's league began play in the 2002–03 season with four teams.[2] Findlay, Mercyhurst and Wayne State were former Great Lakes Women’s Hockey Association members, while Niagara played previously in the ECAC.
The men's division folded after the 2009–2010 season.[3][4]
In 2011 the CHA saw changes when Wayne State abruptly ended their women's hockey program, dropping conference membership to only four teams for the 2011–12 season.[5] In July 2011, Penn State, which is upgrading men's and women's hockey from club to NCAA Division I status for 2012, submitted an application and was later accepted for admission for the 2012–13 season.[6] Later in 2011, the conference announced that Lindenwood University will officially join the CHA for the 2012–2013 season.[7] Lindenwood, currently in the process of transitioning its athletic programs from the NAIA to NCAA, had already been slated to play ten games against CHA opponents in the its first season of NCAA competition as an independent program for the 2011–12 season.[8]
[edit] Members
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Joined | Women's championships | Men's conference | Primary Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercyhurst College | Erie, Pennsylvania | Lakers | 1926 | Private/Catholic | 4,106 | 2002 | 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 | Atlantic Hockey | PSAC (D-II) |
| Niagara University | Lewiston, New York | Purple Eagles | 1856 | Private/Catholic | 3,746 | 2002A | – | Atlantic Hockey | MAAC |
| Robert Morris University | Moon Township, Pennsylvania | Colonials | 1921 | Private/Non-sectarian | 5,000 | 2005B | – | Atlantic Hockey | NEC |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse, New York | Orange | 1870 | Private/Non-sectarian | 19,082 | 2008 | – | – | Big East |
[edit] Future members
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Joining | Men's conference | Primary Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University | University Park, Pennsylvania | Nittany Lions | 1855 | Public | 44,817 | 2012 | Big Ten (2013) | Big Ten |
| Lindenwood University | St. Charles, Missouri | Lions | 1827 | Private/Presbyterian | 17,351 | 2012 | – | MIAA (D-II) |
[edit] Former members
- University of Findlay Oilers, 2002–2004 (dropped program[9])
- Quinnipiac University Bobcats, 2004–2005 (moved to ECACHL)
- Wayne State University Warriors, 2002–2011 (dropped program[5])
[edit] Membership timeline
[edit] Conference arenas
| School | Arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Mercyhurst | Mercyhurst Ice Center | 1,500 |
| Niagara | Dwyer Arena | 2,000 |
| Robert Morris | Island Sports Center | 1,100 |
| Syracuse | Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion | renovations pending |
[edit] Women's tournament finals
For the first time in conference history, the 2006 men's and women's tournaments were held at the same site: The Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum in Detroit, Michigan. The 2008 tournaments were also held jointly, at Dwyer Arena in Lewiston, New York.
| Year | Champion | Score | Runner-up | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Mercyhurst | 1–0 | Findlay | Detroit, Michigan |
| 2004 | Mercyhurst | 3–1 | Niagara | Lewiston, New York |
| 2005 | Mercyhurst | 4–1 | Niagara | Erie, Pennsylvania |
| 2006 | Mercyhurst | 6–2 | Niagara | Detroit, Michigan |
| 2007 | Mercyhurst | 4–1 | Wayne State | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| 2008 | Mercyhurst | 2–1 (ot) | Wayne State | Lewiston, New York |
| 2009 | Mercyhurst | 6–1 | Wayne State | Erie, Pennsylvania |
| 2010 | Mercyhurst | 3–1 | Syracuse | Detroit, Michigan |
| 2011 | Mercyhurst | 5–4 | Syracuse | Syracuse, New York |
[edit] Postseason women's hockey history
The women's CHA does not have an automatic bid; all of these participants reached the tournament via at-large bids.
| Year | CHA Rep. | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Mercyhurst | Harvard | L 5–4 (3ot) |
| 2006 | Mercyhurst | Wisconsin | L 2–1 (2ot) |
| 2007 | Mercyhurst | Minnesota–Duluth | L 3–2 (ot) |
| 2008 | Mercyhurst | Minnesota–Duluth | L 5–4 |
| 2009 | Mercyhurst | St. Lawrence | W 3–1 |
| Minnesota | W 5–4 (frozen four) | ||
| Wisconsin | L 5–0 (national final) | ||
| 2010 | Mercyhurst | Boston University | W 4–1 |
| Cornell | L 3–2 (frozen four) | ||
| 2011 | Mercyhurst | Boston University | L 2–4 |
[edit] Men's division
The CHA was originally founded in 1999 with only a men's division. Three of the seven charter members, Alabama–Huntsville, Bemidji State,and Findlay, had recently moved up from Division II, while Air Force, Army, and Niagara were formerly independent. Wayne State was a charter member, and began sponsoring varsity hockey in 2000.
Niagara went undefeated in conference play in 1999–2000, winning the conference tournament and gaining an at-large invitation to the NCAA Tournament. (The conference did not gain an automatic bid until the 2003 tournament.) Army spent only one season in the league before leaving for the MAAC. Findlay dropped its hockey programs following the 2003–2004 season, to be replaced by Robert Morris, which began play in 2004–2005. After Air Force left for Atlantic Hockey in 2006 and Wayne State dropped its program in 2008, the conference was left with only four teams. The CHA sought to add new programs to its men's league, hoping to draw interest from some of the top club teams in the country, including Kennesaw State University.[1] However, these efforts came up short, with CHA and school personnel citing Title IX as a major hurdle in the negotiations.[10]
On January 29, 2009, Niagara University announced that it and Robert Morris University were moving to Atlantic Hockey beginning in the 2010–11 season.[11] Bemidji State applied again to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for inclusion and was accepted, along with the University of Nebraska-Omaha of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. Alabama-Huntsville applied to the CCHA[12] following the announced departure of Nebraska-Omaha and was denied. [13] Alabama-Huntsville will compete as an independent team beginning with the 2010–11 season.
[edit] Member schools
There were eight member schools in total during the eleven seasons. The conference began in the 1999–2000 season with seven teams, and ended in 2009–2010 with four.
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Membership | Men's championships | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama in Huntsville | Huntsville, Alabama | Chargers | 1999–2010 | 2007, 2010 | Independent[14] |
| Bemidji State University | Bemidji, Minnesota | Beavers | 1999–2010 | 2005, 2006, 2009 | WCHA[3] |
| University of Findlay | Findlay, Ohio | Oilers | 1999–2004 | – | dropped program[9] |
| Niagara University | Lewiston, New York | Purple Eagles | 1999–2010 | 2000, 2004, 2008 | Atlantic Hockey[4] |
| Robert Morris University | Moon Township, Pennsylvania | Colonials | 2004–2010 | – | Atlantic Hockey[4] |
| United States Air Force Academy | Colorado Springs, Colorado | Falcons | 1999–2006 | – | Atlantic Hockey |
| United States Military Academy | West Point, New York | Black Knights | 1999–2000 | – | Atlantic Hockey |
| Wayne State University | Detroit, Michigan | Warriors | 1999–2008 | 2001, 2002, 2003 | dropped men's program |
[edit] Championship games
Tournament champions were awarded the Bob Peters Cup.
| Year | Champion | Score | Runner-up | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Niagara | 3–2 | Alabama–Huntsville | Huntsville, Alabama |
| 2001 | Wayne State | 4–1 | Alabama–Huntsville | Huntsville, Alabama |
| 2002 | Wayne State | 5–4 (ot) | Alabama–Huntsville | Lewiston, New York |
| 2003 | Wayne State | 3–2 | Bemidji State | Kearney, Nebraska |
| 2004 | Niagara | 4–3 (ot) | Bemidji State | Kearney, Nebraska |
| 2005 | Bemidji State | 3–0 | Alabama–Huntsville | Grand Rapids, Minnesota |
| 2006 | Bemidji State | 4–2 | Niagara | Detroit, Michigan |
| 2007 | Alabama–Huntsville | 5–4 (ot) | Robert Morris | Des Moines, Iowa |
| 2008 | Niagara | 3–2 | Bemidji State | Lewiston, New York |
| 2009 | Bemidji State | 3–2 (ot) | Robert Morris | Bemidji, Minnesota |
| 2010 | Alabama–Huntsville | 3–2 (ot) | Niagara | Lewiston, New York |
[edit] Postseason Men's Hockey History
| Year | CHA Rep. | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Niagara A | New Hampshire | W 4–1 |
| North Dakota | L 4–1 | ||
| 2003 | Wayne State | Colorado College | L 4–2 |
| 2004 | Niagara | Boston College | L 5–2 |
| 2005 | Bemidji State | Denver | L 4–3 (ot) |
| 2006 | Bemidji State | Wisconsin | L 4–0 |
| 2007 | Alabama–Huntsville | Notre Dame | L 3–2 (2ot) |
| 2008 | Niagara | Michigan | L 5–1 |
| 2009 | Bemidji State | Notre Dame | W 5–1 |
| Cornell | W 4–1 | ||
| Miami (OH) | L 4–1 (frozen four) | ||
| 2010 | Alabama–Huntsville | Miami (OH) | L 2–1 |
| Bemidji State A | Michigan | L 5–1 |
^A At-large invitee. College Hockey America was not awarded an automatic bid until 2003.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Brown, Scott (April 23, 2006). "A New World Order". USCHO.com. http://www.uscho.com/news/college-hockey/id,12591/ANewWorldOrder.html. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
- ^ Morris, Geof F. (Aug. 1, 2002). "College Hockey America Starts Division I Women's League". USCHO.com. http://www.uscho.com/news/college-hockey/id,4490/CollegeHockeyAmericaStartsDivisionIWomensLeague. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
- ^ a b "WCHA Brings Aboard Bemidji, Omaha". USCHO.com. http://www.uscho.com/news/college-hockey/id,17119/UPDATEDWCHABringsAboardBemidjiOmaha.html. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
- ^ a b c Lerch, Chris (Jan. 28, 2009). "Atlantic Hockey Approves Expansion: Niagara and Robert Morris To Join". USCHO.com. http://www.uscho.com/news/college-hockey/id,16508/AtlanticHockeyApprovesExpansionNiagaraandRobertMorrisToJoin.html. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
- ^ a b Staff (May 27, 2011). "Wayne State drops women’s program; CHA left with four teams". U.S. College Hockey Online. http://www.uscho.com/2011/05/27/wayne-state-drops-womens-program-cha-left-with-four-teams/. Retrieved May 27, 2011.
- ^ Staff (July 6, 2011). "Penn State women apply to CHA". U.S. College Hockey Online. http://www.uscho.com/2011/07/06/penn-state-women-apply-to-cha/. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
- ^ Staff (November 11, 2011). "Lindenwood formally admitted into CHA". U.S. College Hockey Online. http://www.uscho.com/2011/11/11/lindenwood-formally-admitted-into-cha/. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
- ^ Staff (September 14, 2011). "Lindenwood files application to join CHA". U.S. College Hockey Online. http://www.uscho.com/2011/09/14/lindenwood-files-application-to-join-cha/. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
- ^ a b Wodon, Adam (Jan. 6, 2004). "Findlay To Drop Hockey". USCHO.com. http://www.uscho.com/news/college-hockey/id,7618/FindlayToDropHockey. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
- ^ Shaver, Wally. "News and notes from the 2008 NCAA Men’s Frozen Four". http://www.letsplayhockey.com/953shaver.html. Retrieved 2010-01-28.
- ^ http://www.purpleeagles.com/sports/mhockey/release.asp?release_id=11115 Niagara Men's Hockey To Join Atlantic Hockey
- ^ http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=104225 Alabama-Huntsville interested in CCHA, WCHA
- ^ http://www.uahchargers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1008&Itemid=245 CCHA denies hockey program's application for admission – Press Release – Aug. 11, 2009
- ^ McLaughlin, Budd (September 23, 2009). "UAH program standing alone". The Huntsville Times.
[edit] External links
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