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

Three AHA members have teams in both the men's and women's divisions—Mercyhurst, RIT, and Robert Morris. Holy Cross, Lindenwood, Penn State, and Sacred Heart have teams of both sexes, but house only one team in AHA. Niagara and Syracuse sponsor teams only for one sex, but used to sponsor a team for the other.

Current members

Main conference affiliations are current for the first season of the merged AHA in 2024–25.

Institution	Location	Nickname	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Joined	Men's	Women's	Main conference
United States Air Force Academy (Air Force)	USAF Academy, Colorado[lower-alpha 1]	Falcons	1954	Public/Federal	4,400	2024	Y	N	Mountain West
American International College	Springfield, Massachusetts	Yellow Jackets	1885	Private/Nonsectarian	1,700	2024	Y	N	Northeast-10 (D-II)
United States Military Academy (Army)	West Point, New York	Black Knights	1802	Public/Federal	4,400	2024	Y	N	Patriot League
Bentley University	Waltham, Massachusetts	Falcons	1917	Private/Nonsectarian	3,958	2024	Y	N	Northeast-10 (D-II)
Canisius University	Buffalo, New York	Golden Griffins	1870	Private/Catholic	3,490	2024	Y	N	MAAC
College of the Holy Cross	Worcester, Massachusetts	Crusaders	1843	Private/Catholic	2,897	2024	Y	Hockey East	Patriot League
Lindenwood University	St. Charles, Missouri	Lions	1827	Private/Presbyterian	12,213	2024	Independent	Y	OVC
Mercyhurst University	Erie, Pennsylvania	Lakers	1926	Private/Catholic	4,055	2024	Y	Y	NEC
Niagara University	Lewiston, New York[lower-alpha 2]	Purple Eagles	1856	Private/Catholic	3,853	2024	Y	N	MAAC
Pennsylvania State University (Penn State)	University Park, Pennsylvania[lower-alpha 3]	Nittany Lions	1855	Public/State-related	44,817	2024	Big Ten	Y	Big Ten
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)	Henrietta, New York[lower-alpha 4]	Tigers	1829	Private/Nonsectarian	16,842	2024	Y	Y	Liberty League (D-III)
Robert Morris University	Moon Township, Pennsylvania	Colonials	1921	Private/Nonsectarian	4,005	2024	Y	Y	Horizon
Sacred Heart University	Fairfield, Connecticut	Pioneers	1963	Private/Catholic	5,428	2024	Y	NEWHA	MAAC
Syracuse University	Syracuse, New York	Orange	1870	Private/Non-sectarian	19,082	2024	N	Y	ACC

Future members

Several months after the merger was announced, CHA added a future member in Delaware, which plans to add a women's hockey team in the 2025–26 season.[4] Delaware's future membership transferred to the merged AHA.

Institution	Location	Nickname	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Joining	Men's	Women's	Main conference
University of Delaware	Newark, Delaware	Figntin' Blue Hens	1743	Public[lower-alpha 5]	23,281	2025	N	Y	CAA (CUSA in 2025)

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".
Mailing address is "Niagara University".
The U.S. Postal Service calls the entire Penn State campus "University Park". The campus straddles the boundary between State College and College Township.
Mailing address is Rochester.
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).

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.

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[4] 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".

[5] Mailing address is "Niagara University".

[6] The U.S. Postal Service calls the entire Penn State campus "University Park". The campus straddles the boundary between State College and College Township.

[7] Mailing address is Rochester.

[9] 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).

[1] "Atlantic Hockey, CHA women will combine as Atlantic Hockey America for 2024-25 season". USCHO. April 30, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.

[AHAmerica-2] "Atlantic Hockey and College Hockey America Join to Form Atlantic Hockey America" (Press release). Atlantic Hockey America. April 30, 2024. Retrieved May 2, 2024.

[AHACHA-3] "Atlantic Hockey Association and College Hockey America to Merge Operations in 2024". Atlantic Hockey Association. June 6, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.

[8] "University of Delaware to Join College Hockey America for 2025–26 Season" (Press release). College Hockey America. December 1, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2023.