Western Collegiate Hockey Association

Western Collegiate Hockey Association
(WCHA)
Established 1951
Association NCAA
Division Division I
Members 15
Sports fielded Ice hockey (men's: 10 teams; women's: 7 teams)
Region Midwestern United States, Alaska, and Alabama
Former names Midwest Collegiate Hockey League (1951–53)
Western Intercollegiate Hockey League (1953–58)
Headquarters Edina, Minnesota
Commissioner Bill Robertson
Website http://www.wcha.com
Locations

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern, Western, and Southeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference.[1]

WCHA member teams have won a record 36 men's NCAA hockey championships, most recently in 2011 by the Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs. A WCHA team has also finished as the national runner-up a total of 28 times.[2] WCHA teams also won the first 13 NCAA women's titles, which were first awarded in 2001.[3]

History

The league was founded in 1951 as the Midwest Collegiate Hockey League (MCHL),[1] then was known as the Western Intercollegiate Hockey League (WIHL) until 1958. The 1958–59 season was one of independence for members as a result of recruiting techniques by some teams.[1] The current Western Collegiate Hockey Association was founded for the 1959–60 season.[1] The 2005 NCAA Frozen Four hockey tournament finals were noteworthy when all four teams came from the WCHA.

WCHA teams also won the first 13 NCAA women's titles, which were first awarded in 2001.[3] In 2006, WCHA member Wisconsin was the first school to capture both the men's and women's Division I ice hockey championships in the same season.[4]

The men's regular season conference champion is awarded the MacNaughton Cup,[5] while the league's tournament champion winning the WCHA Final Five takes home the Broadmoor Trophy.[6]

2013 realignment

On March 22, 2011, Minnesota and Wisconsin announced that their men's teams planned to leave the league in order to form a hockey Big Ten Conference in 2013–14, along with Penn State, which would start a varsity hockey program in 2012–13, and Central Collegiate Hockey Association members Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State.[7]

In response to the creation of the Big Ten men's hockey conference, Denver, Colorado College, North Dakota, Nebraska-Omaha, Minnesota-Duluth, and St. Cloud State left the WCHA to join Miami University and Western Michigan of the CCHA to create the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.[8][9] Facing membership at 4 teams for the 2013–14 season, the WCHA conference added one of its former members, Northern Michigan of the CCHA, on July 15, 2011.[10]

On August 25, 2011, the WCHA announced that it had invited the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Bowling Green, Ferris State, and Lake Superior State to join beginning in the 2013–14 season. On August 26, 2011, Alaska-Fairbanks, Ferris State, and Lake Superior State accepted their invitations and joined Northern Michigan in the WCHA in 2013.[11] After much deliberation, on October 4, 2011, Bowling Green decided to join the WCHA as well in 2013.[12] On January 17, 2013, the WCHA admitted Alabama–Huntsville to the league, effective in the 2013–14 season.[13]

This realignment activity only affected the men's side of the WCHA. Even after Penn State took the ice with both men's and women's teams, the Big Ten still had only four members with varsity women's hockey (Michigan and Michigan State field only men's teams). This meant that the women's side of the WCHA remained intact for the immediate future.

After realignment

The next change in the conference membership came shortly after the 2016–17 season, when North Dakota announced that it would drop women's hockey.[14]

Members

The WCHA has 15 member schools in all; the men's division operates with 10 members, while the women's division has 7. Only two schools, Bemidji State and Minnesota State, have both men's and women's teams in the conference.

Men's

Institution City State Founded Joined Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Colors NCAA Men's
Champ.		 Primary Conference
University of Alabama in Huntsville Huntsville Alabama 1969 2013 Public 7,700 Chargers           Blue & White 0 Gulf South (D-II)
University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage Alaska 1977 1993 Public 16,242 Seawolves           Green & Gold 0 Great Northwest (D-II)
University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks Alaska 1917 2013 Public 9,380 Nanooks           Blue & Gold 0 Great Northwest (D-II)
Bemidji State University Bemidji Minnesota 1919 2010 (men) Public 5,300 Beavers           Green & White 0 Northern Sun (D-II)
Bowling Green State University Bowling Green Ohio 1910 2013 Public 19,764 Falcons           Orange & Brown 1 MAC
Ferris State University Big Rapids Michigan 1884 2013 Public 14,560 Bulldogs           Crimson & Gold 0 GLIAC (D-II)
Lake Superior State University Sault Ste. Marie Michigan 1946 2013 Public 2,907 Lakers           Blue & Gold 3 GLIAC (D-II)
Michigan Technological University Houghton Michigan 1885 1951–1981
1984		 Public 7,014 Huskies           Black & Gold 3 GLIAC (D-II)
Minnesota State University, Mankato Mankato Minnesota 1867 1999 Public 15,300 Mavericks           Purple & Gold 0 Northern Sun (D-II)
Northern Michigan University Marquette Michigan 1899 1984–1997
2013		 Public 9,000 Wildcats           Green & Gold 1 GLIAC (D-II)

Women's

Institution City State Founded Joined Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Colors NCAA Women's
Champ.		 Primary Conference
Bemidji State University Bemidji Minnesota 1919 1999 (women) Public 5,300 Beavers           Green & White 0 Northern Sun (D-II)
University of Minnesota Minneapolis & St. Paul Minnesota 1851 1999 (women) Public 51,194 Golden Gophers           Maroon & Gold 5 Big Ten
University of Minnesota Duluth Duluth Minnesota 1947 1999 (women) Public 10,500 Bulldogs           Maroon & Gold 5 Northern Sun (D-II)
Minnesota State University, Mankato Mankato Minnesota 1867 1999 Public 15,300 Mavericks           Purple & Gold 0 Northern Sun (D-II)
Ohio State University Columbus Ohio 1870 1999 Public 56,867 Buckeyes           Scarlet & Gray 0 Big Ten
St. Cloud State University St. Cloud Minnesota 1869 1999 (women) Public 17,073 Huskies           Spirit Red & Black 0 Northern Sun (D-II)
University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison Wisconsin 1848 1999 (women) Public 41,169 Badgers           Red & White 4 Big Ten

Former men's members

Institution City State Joined Left Nickname Teams NCAA Champ.[lower-alpha 1] Subsequent
Conference		 Current
Conference
Colorado College Colorado Springs Colorado 1951 2013 Tigers Men's 2 (1) NCHC
University of Denver Denver Colorado 1951 2013 Pioneers Men's 7 (7) NCHC
University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan 1951 1981 Wolverines Men's 9 (5) CCHA Big Ten
Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan 1951 1981 Spartans Men's 3 (1) CCHA Big Ten
University of Minnesota Minneapolis & St. Paul Minnesota 1951 2013 Golden Gophers Men's 5 (5) Big Ten
University of Minnesota Duluth Duluth Minnesota 1966 2013 Bulldogs Men's 1 (1) NCHC
University of Nebraska Omaha Omaha Nebraska 2010 2013 Mavericks Men's 0 (0) NCHC
University of North Dakota Grand Forks North Dakota 1951 2013 Fighting Hawks Men's 8 (7) NCHC
University of Notre Dame South Bend Indiana 1971 1981 Fighting Irish Men's 0 (0) CCHA Big Ten
St. Cloud State University St. Cloud Minnesota 1990 2013 Huskies Men's 0 (0) NCHC
University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison Wisconsin 1969 2013 Badgers Men's 6 (6) Big Ten
  1. ↑ Total championships (Championships won while WCHA member)

Former women's member

Institution City State Joined Left Nickname Teams NCAA Champ.[lower-alpha 1] Subsequent
Conference		 Current
Conference
University of North Dakota Grand Forks North Dakota 2004 2017 Fighting Hawks Women's 0 (0) Dropped women's ice hockey
  1. ↑ Total championships (Championships won while WCHA member)

Membership timeline

Lake Superior State University Ferris State University Bowling Green State University University of Alaska Fairbanks University of Alabama in Huntsville University of Nebraska at Omaha Ohio State University Minnesota State University, Mankato Bemidji State University University of Alaska Anchorage St. Cloud State University Northern Michigan University University of Notre Dame University of Wisconsin–Madison University of Minnesota Duluth University of North Dakota University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Michigan Technological University University of Denver Colorado College Michigan State University University of Michigan

Conference arenas

Locations of Western Collegiate Hockey Association member institutions.
School Men's Arena Capacity Women's Arena Capacity
Alabama–Huntsville Propst Arena 6,602 —
Alaska Anchorage Sullivan Arena 6,399 —
Alaska Carlson Center 4,595 —
Bemidji State Sanford Center 4,700 Sanford Center 4,700
Bowling Green BGSU Ice Arena 5,000 —
Ferris State Robert L. Ewigleben Arena 2,493 —
Lake Superior Taffy Abel Arena 4,000 —
Michigan Tech MacInnes Student Ice Arena 4,466 [15] —
Minnesota plays in the Big Ten Ridder Arena 3,400
Minnesota–Duluth plays in the NCHC AMSOIL Arena 6,764
Minnesota State Verizon Center 5,280 All Seasons Arena 1,000
Northern Michigan Berry Events Center 3,902 —
Ohio State plays in the Big Ten OSU Ice Rink 1,415
St. Cloud State plays in the NCHC Herb Brooks National Hockey Center 5,763
Wisconsin plays in the Big Ten LaBahn Arena 2,273

Awards (Men's)

At the conclusion of each regular season schedule the coaches of each WCHA team vote which players they choose to be on the two to four All-Conference Teams:[16] first team and second team with a rookie team added in 1990–91 and a third team added in 1995–96. Additionally they vote to award up to 5 individual trophies to an eligible player at the same time. The WCHA also awards a Most Valuable Player in Tournament, which is voted on at the conclusion of the conference tournament. Only the Coach of the Year award has been bestowed in each year of the WCHA's existence, making it the oldest continually-awarded conference award in Division I ice hockey.[17]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Stutt, Kurt. "History of the WCHA". USCHO. Archived from the original on 2008-05-21. Retrieved 2010-11-26.
  2. ↑ "All-Time Championship Tournament records and results" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved 2009-02-23.
  3. 1 2 "National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Champions". National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey History. NCAA. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
  4. ↑ Schmoldt, Eric (2006-04-10). "UW’s championship celebration continues at rally". The Badger Herald. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
  5. ↑ Julien, Connie (2009). "MacNaughton Cup Winners". CC Hockey History.
  6. ↑ "WCHA Unveils New Playoff Format and Broadmoor Trophy, Welcomes Bemidji State and Nebraska Omaha". Media Center. Western Collegiate Hockey Association. 2010-03-20. Retrieved 2010-11-26.
  7. ↑ "Big Ten Officially Announces Hockey Conference". College Hockey News. March 21, 2011. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  8. ↑ Paisley, Joe (July 9, 2011). "Schools confirm new college hockey 'super league'". Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  9. ↑ "St. Cloud St., W. Michigan join league". September 22, 2011.
  10. ↑ "WCHA set to add Northern Michigan as sixth member for 2013–14". U.S. College Hockey Online. July 15, 2011. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  11. ↑ Sipple, George (August 26, 2011). "Ferris State becomes third CCHA team to accept WCHA invitation". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  12. ↑ Wagner, John (October 4, 2011). "Falcons make switch to WCHA". Toledo Blade. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
  13. ↑ "WCHA accepts Alabama-Huntsville for 2013-14 season". USCHO.com. January 17, 2013. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Deep budget cuts force UND to eliminate three varsity sports" (Press release). North Dakota Fighting Hawks. March 29, 2017. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
  15. ↑ http://michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2013-14/releases/20140219hwkw7c
  16. ↑ "Head Coaches Tab Denver as MacNaughton Cup Favorite in Annual Grand Forks Herald WCHA Pre-Season Poll". WCHA.com. 2009-09-30. Retrieved 2013-08-26.
  17. ↑ "WCHA Awards". College hockey Historical Archive. Retrieved 2013-08-26.
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