National Collegiate Hockey Association
 | |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 |
| President | Michael Smietana |
| No. of teams | 20 |
| Country |
 United States |
| Most recent champion(s) | Saint John Fisher College (2014-15) |
| Official website | NCHA.us |
The National Collegiate Hockey Association or NCHA is a national organization of non-NCAA men's college and university level ice hockey programs. The NCHA is formerly known as the Collegiate Ice Hockey Association (CIHA) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Hockey (NAIH).
History
The NAIH was formed in 2011 as an alternative to the American Collegiate Hockey Association with the philosophy that there should be an option for college club hockey teams that want a lower cost for membership combined with the highest level of competition possible.
In the spring of 2013, the NAIH changed its name to the CIHA and after the 2013-14 season once again changed its name to the current National Collegiate Hockey Association.
In July of 2014 the NCHA was sanctioned by the United Hockey Union, a branch of AAU.[1]
Teams
For the 2014-15 season, the NCHA consists of four conferences: Northeastern (New York), Southeastern (Pennsylvania/West Virginia), Southwestern (California) and the Independent Conference. The champion of each conference receives an automatic bid to Nationals.
Northeastern Conference
- D'Youville College
- Hamilton College
- Le Moyne College
- Saint John Fisher College
- SUNY Brockport
- Union College
- University at Buffalo
Southeastern Conference
Southwestern Conference
- California Lutheran University
- Chapman University
- University of California, San Diego
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- Ventura College
Independent Conference
- Denison University
- Eastern Washington University
- Medaille College
- Western Washington University
- Wittenberg University
Founders Cup Champions
The 2012-13 season was the first year the NAIH held a national tournament. The national championship trophy was dubbed the Founders Cup.
| Year | National Champion | Runner-Up | Result | Host/Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | Western Washington | Le Moyne College | 2-1 [2] | Buffalo, NY |
| 2013-14 | Pittsburgh-Greensburg | UC San Diego | 2-0 [3] [4] | Newark, OH |
| 2014-15 | Saint John Fisher College | Pittsburgh-Greensburg | 8-5 | Newark, OH |
See also
- American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA)
- British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL)
References
- ↑ "United Hockey Union Welcomes NCHA". United Hockey Union. 18 July 2014.
- ↑ "WWU ice hockey team wins national championship in overtime". Western Today. 22 March 2013.
- ↑ "Pitt-Greensburg Club Ice Hockey Team wins National Championship". University of Pittsburgh Greensburg. 7 April 2014.
- ↑ "Pitt-Greensburg celebrates national ice hockey title". WTAE Pittsburgh. 7 April 2014.