Atlantic Hockey Association
FormerlyMAAC (1997–2003)
AssociationNCAA
Founded1997 (as MAAC Hockey)
2003 (as Atlantic Hockey)
CommissionerMichelle Morgan (since 2023)
Sports fielded
DivisionDivision I
No. of teams11
HeadquartersBoston, Massachusetts
RegionNortheastern United States and Colorado
Most recent
champion(s)		Canisius (2nd title)
Most titlesAir Force (7)
Official websitehttp://www.atlantichockeyonline.com/
Locations
Location of teams in

The Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA) is an NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey conference which operates primarily in the northeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference. Unlike several other college athletic conferences, Atlantic Hockey has no women's division, though it shares some organizational and administrative roles (and two universities) with the women's-only College Hockey America.

It was formed in 1997 and began play in the 1998–1999 season as the hockey division of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). Within three years, it was granted an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. However, in 2003, Iona and Fairfield dropped hockey, leaving Canisius as the only full MAAC member that sponsored hockey. This proved somewhat problematic for MAAC Hockey, since conference bylaws only allowed full members to vote. On June 30, 2003, MAAC Hockey broke off from the MAAC and reorganized as Atlantic Hockey.[1]

On June 6, 2023, it was announced that Atlantic Hockey would be merging all operations with College Hockey America, effective in 2024. Details regarding this merger, including whether the new league would carry the Atlantic Hockey or CHA name, were to be announced at a later date.[2]

Membership

Current

Institution Location Nickname Founded Affiliation Undergraduate Enrollment Joined Women's Conference Primary Conference Colors
United States Air Force AcademyColorado Springs, ColoradoFalcons1954Public/Federal4,4002006N/AMountain West   
American International CollegeSpringfield, MassachusettsYellow Jackets1885Private/Non-sectarian1,7001998N/ANortheast-10 (D-II)     
United States Military AcademyWest Point, New YorkBlack Knights1802Public/Federal4,4002000N/APatriot League     
Bentley UniversityWaltham, MassachusettsFalcons1917Private/Non-sectarian3,9581999N/ANortheast-10 (D-II)   
Canisius CollegeBuffalo, New YorkGolden Griffins1870Private/Catholic3,4901998N/AMAAC   
College of the Holy CrossWorcester, MassachusettsCrusaders1843Private/Catholic2,8971998HEAPatriot League 
Mercyhurst UniversityErie, PennsylvaniaLakers1926Private/Catholic4,0551999CHAPSAC (D-II)   
Niagara University[3]Lewiston, New YorkPurple Eagles1856Private/Catholic3,8532010N/A [lower-alpha 1]MAAC   
Robert Morris UniversityMoon Township, PennsylvaniaColonials1921Private/Non-sectarian4,0052010
2023[lower-alpha 2]		CHA[lower-alpha 3]Horizon     
Rochester Institute of TechnologyHenrietta, New YorkTigers1829Private/Non-sectarian16,8422006CHALiberty League (D-III)     
Sacred Heart UniversityFairfield, ConnecticutPioneers1963Private/Catholic5,4281998NEWHA[lower-alpha 4]NEC   
Locations of Atlantic Hockey Conference current member locations.
  1. ↑ Niagara's women's team was in College Hockey America before the university dropped the program in 2012.
  2. ↑ Robert Morris was a member of Atlantic Hockey from 2010 to 2021 until the program was cut. Subsequent fundraising efforts allowed the program to be reinstated for the 2023–24 season with Robert Morris rejoining Atlantic Hockey.
  3. ↑ RMU will also rejoin its former women's hockey home of College Hockey America in 2023–24.
  4. ↑ The NEWHA was founded in 2017 as a scheduling alliance between Division I and Division II women's ice hockey independents, with Sacred Heart as a founding member. It formally organized as a conference in 2018 and received NCAA recognition in 2019.

Former

Timeline

Atlantic Hockey champions

[4]

SeasonTournamentRegular Season ChampionTournament ChampionNotes
2003–042004 Holy Cross (1)Holy Cross (1)Atlantic Hockey Association founded by American International, Army, Bentley, Canisius, Connecticut, Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart
2004–052005 Quinnipiac (1)Mercyhurst (1)Final AHA season for Quinnipiac, (leaving for the ECAC)
2005–062006 Holy Cross (2)Holy Cross (2)
2006–072007 RIT (1)Air Force (1)Air Force and RIT join the AHA
2007–082008 Army (1)Air Force (2)
2008–092009 RIT(2) / Air Force (1)Air Force (3)
2009–102010 RIT (3)RIT (1)
2010–112011 RIT (4)Air Force (4)Niagara and Robert Morris join the AHA
2011–122012 Air Force (2)Air Force (5)
2012–132013 Niagara (1)Canisius (1)
2013–142014 Mercyhurst (1)Robert Morris (1)Final AHA season for Connecticut, (leaving for Hockey East)
2014–152015 Robert Morris (1)RIT (2)
2015–162016 Robert Morris (2)RIT (3)
2016–172017 Canisius (1)Air Force (6)
2017–182018 Mercyhurst (2)Air Force (7)
2018–192019 American International (1)American International (1)
2019–202020 American International (2)CancelledTournament cancelled after quarterfinals due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–212021 American International (3)American International (2)
2021–222022 American International (4)American International (3) Robert Morris suspended its program prior to the start of the season
2022–232023 RIT (5)Canisius (2)

Atlantic Hockey tournament champions by school

School Championship Years
Air Force 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011,

2012, 2017, 2018

RIT 2010, 2015, 2016
American International 2019, 2021, 2022
Canisius 2013, 2023
Holy Cross 2004, 2006
Mercyhurst 2005
Robert Morris 2014

No tournament was held in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

National tournament history

NCAA tournament
Year AHA Rep. Opponent Result
2004 Holy Cross North Dakota L 0–3
2005 Mercyhurst Boston College L 4–5
2006 Holy Cross Minnesota W 4–3 (OT)
North Dakota L 2–5
2007 Air Force Minnesota L 3–4
2008 Air Force Miami (OH) L 2–3 (OT)
2009 Air Force Michigan W 2–0
Vermont L 2–3 (2OT)
2010 RIT Denver W 2–1
New Hampshire W 6–2
Wisconsin L 1–8
2011 Air Force Yale L 1–2 (OT)
2012 Air Force Boston College L 0–2
2013 Niagara * North Dakota L 1–2
Canisius Quinnipiac L 3–4
2014 Robert Morris Minnesota L 3–7
2015 RIT Minnesota State W 2–1
Omaha L 0–4
2016 RIT Quinnipiac L 0–4
2017 Air Force Western Michigan W 5–4
Harvard L 2–3
2018 Air Force St. Cloud State W 4–1
Minnesota-Duluth L 1–2
2019 AIC St. Cloud State W 2–1
Denver L 0–3
2020 None† N/A N/A
2021 AIC North Dakota L 1–5
2022 AIC Michigan L 3–5
2023 Canisius Minnesota L 2–9

* – at-large selection.

† – Tournament canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic

Conference arenas

School Hockey Arena Location Capacity
Air Force Cadet Ice Arena Colorado Springs, CO 2,502
American International MassMutual Center Springfield, MA 6,866
Army Tate Rink West Point, NY 2,648
Bentley Bentley Arena Waltham, MA 1,917
Canisius LECOM Harborcenter Buffalo, NY 1,800
Holy Cross Hart Center Worcester, MA 1,600
Mercyhurst Mercyhurst Ice Center
Erie Insurance Arena (alternate)		 Erie, PA 1,500
6,833
Niagara Dwyer Arena Lewiston, NY 1,400
RIT Gene Polisseni Center
Blue Cross Arena (alternate)		 Henrietta, NY
Rochester, NY		 4,300
10,556
Sacred Heart Martire Family Arena Fairfield, Ct 3,600
Tournament LECOM Harborcenter Buffalo, NY 1,800

Awards

At the conclusion of each regular season schedule the coaches of each Atlantic Hockey team vote which players they choose to be on the three or four All-Conference teams:[5] first team, second team and rookie team (third team beginning in 2007). Additionally they vote to award 7 of the 9 individual trophies to an eligible player and 1 team award at the same time. Atlantic Hockey also awards a regular season scoring title that is not voted on as well as a Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player, which is voted on at the conclusion of the conference tournament. All individual and team awards have been awarded since Atlantic Hockey's inaugural season in 2003–04.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "History of the MAAC". augenblick.org.
  2. ↑ "Atlantic Hockey Association and College Hockey America to Merge Operations in 2024" (Press release). Atlantic Hockey Association. June 6, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2009-01-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Niagara Men's Hockey To Join Atlantic Hockey
  4. ↑ "Atlantic Hockey Champions". 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  5. ↑ "2003–04 Atlantic Hockey All-Star Teams and Regular Season Awards Announced". Atlantic Hockey. 2004-03-12. Archived from the original on 2014-03-08. Retrieved 2013-07-18.
  6. ↑ "2003–04 Regular Season Award Winners". Atlantic Hockey. Retrieved 2013-07-18.
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