Atlantic Hockey America
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
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
Two AHA members have teams in both the men's and women's divisions—RIT and Robert Morris. Holy Cross, Lindenwood, Penn State, and Sacred Heart have teams of both sexes, but house only one team in AHA. Mercyhurst, Niagara, and Syracuse sponsor teams only for one sex, but used to sponsor a team for the other.
Several months after the merger was announced, CHA added a future member in Delaware, which was to add a women's hockey team in the 2025–26 season.[4] Delaware's future membership transferred to the merged AHA.
During the 2024–25 season, men's member American International announced that it would leave AHA at the end of that season and align its hockey team with the rest of its sports in NCAA Division II. Its main league, the Northeast-10 Conference, plays men's ice hockey under Division II rules and does not take part in the NCAA's combined Division I and Division II tournament.[5] The most recent membership change was announced at the end of the 2025–26 season. Mercyhurst, previously a member of AHA's men's and women's divisions, shut down its men's team while staying in the women's division.[6]
Current members
Main conference affiliations are current for the upcoming 2026–27 season.
| 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 |  |  | Mountain West |
| United States Military Academy (Army) | West Point, New York | Black Knights | 1802 | Public/Federal | 4,400 | 2024 | | | Patriot League |
| Bentley University | Waltham, Massachusetts | Falcons | 1917 | Private/Nonsectarian | 3,958 | 2024 | | | Northeast-10 (D-II) |
| Canisius University | Buffalo, New York | Golden Griffins | 1870 | Private/Catholic | 3,490 | 2024 | | | Metro |
| University of Delaware | Newark, Delaware | Figntin' Blue Hens | 1743 | Public[b] | 23,281 | 2025 | | | CUSA |
| College of the Holy Cross | Worcester, Massachusetts | Crusaders | 1843 | Private/Catholic | 2,897 | 2024 | | Hockey East | Patriot League |
| Lindenwood University | St. Charles, Missouri | Lions | 1827 | Private/Presbyterian | 12,213 | 2024 | Independent | | OVC |
| Mercyhurst University | Erie, Pennsylvania | Lakers | 1926 | Private/Catholic | 4,055 | 2024 | | | NEC |
| Niagara University | Lewiston, New York[c] | Purple Eagles | 1856 | Private/Catholic | 3,853 | 2024 | | | Metro |
| Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) | University Park, Pennsylvania[d] | Nittany Lions | 1855 | Public/State-related | 44,817 | 2024 | Big Ten | | Big Ten |
| Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) | Henrietta, New York[e] | Tigers | 1829 | Private/Nonsectarian | 16,842 | 2024 | | | Liberty League (D-III) |
| Robert Morris University | Moon Township, Pennsylvania | Colonials | 1921 | Private/Nonsectarian | 4,005 | 2024 | | | Horizon |
| Sacred Heart University | Fairfield, Connecticut | Pioneers | 1963 | Private/Catholic | 5,428 | 2024 | | NEWHA | Metro |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse, New York | Orange | 1870 | Private/Nonsectarian[f] | 19,082 | 2024 | | | ACC |
- ↑ 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".
- ↑ 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).
- ↑ The campus mailing address is "Niagara University".
- ↑ The U.S. Postal Service calls the entire Penn State campus "University Park". Parts of the campus are in three adjoining communities: State College, Ferguson Township, and College Township.
- ↑ Mailing address is Rochester.
- ↑ Syracuse, founded as a Methodist school, is officially nonsectarian but is still loosely affiliated with the United Methodist Church.
Former members
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Joined | Left | Men's | Women's | Main conference | Current hockey conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American International College | Springfield, Massachusetts | Yellow Jackets | 1885 | Private/Nonsectarian | 1,700 | 2024 | 2025 | | | Northeast-10 (D-II) | |
| Mercyhurst University | Erie, Pennsylvania | Lakers | 1926 | Private/Catholic | 4.055 | 2024 | 2026 | | | NEC | None (men) AHA (women) |
References
- ↑ "Atlantic Hockey, CHA women will combine as Atlantic Hockey America for 2024-25 season". USCHO. April 30, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ↑ "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". 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.
- ↑ "Pathway to Progress: Charting AIC's Future" (Press release). American International College. November 13, 2024. Retrieved December 4, 2024.
- ↑ "Mercyhurst University Announces Strategic Program Adjustments to Strengthen Future Growth" (Press release). Mercyhurst Lakers. March 27, 2026. Retrieved March 31, 2026.