Northeast Collegiate Hockey Association Explained

Northeast Collegiate Hockey Association should not be confused with Northern Collegiate Hockey League.

Northeast Collegiate Hockey Association
Founded:1982
Conference:ACHA
Division:Division II & Division III
Teams:34
Sports:Men's ice hockey
Region:Northeast
Headquarters:Keene, New Hampshire
Commissioner:William S. Dow
Champions:Patriot: UMass
American: Bentley
Colonial: Coast Guard
Website:Official website

The Northeast Collegiate Hockey Association (NECHA) is a non-varsity (club) college ice hockey league in the Northeast region of the United States that competes with Divisions II & III of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA). Most NECHA member schools have varsity teams that are affiliated with the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) or the Hockey East Association and most teams receive at least partial funding from their school's athletic departments and/or student government.

Format

The NECHA league comprises four-year post secondary college and university teams separated into three conferences: Patriot, American, and Colonial. The Patriot and American conferences compete under Division II of the ACHA and the Colonial competes under Division III.

Each league conference consists of two divisions organized geographically by School location. Teams play a minimum of 10 league games during the regular season. Following the regular season, the NECHA league hosts their annual championship playoffs for each conference with invitations to the top teams in the regular season standings.

Associate and Probationary Members are recognized teams but are not full-members of the league and are not eligible for the NECHA Regular Season Championship, the NECHA League Playoffs, and do not vote on actions at official league meetings.

Current members

Patriot Conference East

SchoolLocationNicknamePrimary conferenceWebsiteTeam Colors
Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MAEaglesACC (DI)http://bostoncollege.pointstreaksites.com/view/bostoncollegealign=center
Boston UniversityBoston, MATerriersPatriot (DI)https://buclubicehockey.wordpress.com/about/align=center
Bryant UniversitySmithfield, RIBulldogsNEC (DI)http://www.bryant-hockey.com/align=center
Merrimack CollegeNorth Andover, MAWarriorsNE10 (DII)http://www.merrimackathletics.com/information/pages/Club-Sportsalign=center
Northeastern UniversityBoston, MAHuskiesCAA (DI)http://www.northeastern.edu/mihc/align=center
Providence CollegeProvidence, RIFriarsBig East (DI)http://www.umbcicehockey.com/align=center

Patriot Conference West

SchoolLocationNicknamePrimary conferenceWebsiteTeam Colors
College of the Holy CrossWorcester, MACrusadersPatriot (DI)http://pointstreaksites.com/view/holycross/home-page-1032align=center
Keene State CollegeKeene, NHOwlsLEC (DIII)http://keenestate.pointstreaksites.com/view/keenestatealign=center
University of ConnecticutStorrs, CTHuskiesBig East (DI)http://www.umbcicehockey.com/align=center
UMass AmherstAmherst, MAMinutemenA10 (DI)http://www.umass.edu/rso/mensice/index.htmlalign=center
University of VermontBurlington, VTCatamountsAEC (DI)http://uvmhockeyclub.pointstreaksites.com/align=center

American Conference North

SchoolLocationNicknamePrimary conferenceWebsiteTeam Colors
Dartmouth CollegeHanover, NHBig GreenIvy (DI)http://dartmouthclubhockey.pointstreaksites.com/view/dartmouthhockey/align=center
Harvard UniversityCambridge, MassachusettsCrimsonIvy (DI)http://harvardclubhockey.pointstreaksites.com/view/harvardhockeyalign=center
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsEngineersNEWMAC (DIII)http://www.mithockey.pointstreaksites.com/view/mitengineersalign=center
Norwich UniversityNorthfield, VTCadetsGNAC (DIII)http://lifeat.norwich.edu/student-clubs-and-activities/intramural-and-club-sports/align=center
Saint Anselm CollegeGoffstown, NHHawksNE10 (DII)http://www.anselm.edu/Current-Students/Student-Activities-and-Leadership-Programs/Club-Sports/Club-Ice-Hockey-%28M%29.htmalign=center
Southern New Hampshire UniversityManchester, NHPenmenNE10 (DII)https://snhuclubhockey.wordpress.com/align=center
UMass LowellLowell, MARiver HawksAEC (DI)http://www.uml.edu/CampusRecreation/Club-Sports/Active-Clubs/Ice-Hockey/MensIceHockey.aspxalign=center

American Conference South

SchoolLocationNicknamePrimary conferenceWebsiteTeam Colors
Bentley UniversityWaltham, MAFalconsNE10 (DII)http://bentleyclubhockey.wixsite.com/bentleyclubhockeyalign=center
Bridgewater State UniversityBridgewater, MABearsECAC (DIII)https://bridgew.collegiatelink.net/organization/mensicehockeyclubalign=center
Connecticut CollegeNew London, CTCamelsNESCAC (DII)https://conncoll.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/mens-club-hockeyalign=center
Eastern Connecticut State UniversityWillimantic, CTWarriorsLEC (DIII)http://www1.easternct.edu/studentactivities/clubs-orgs/club-index/ice-hockey-club/align=center
Roger Williams UniversityBristol, RIHawksCCC (DIII)http://www.rwuhawks.com/index.aspx?path=mhockeyalign=center
Westfield State UniversityWestfield, MAOwlsMASCAC (DIII)https://snhuclubhockey.wordpress.com/align=center

Colonial Conference North

SchoolLocationNicknamePrimary conferenceWebsiteTeam Colors
Bates CollegeLewiston, MEBobcatsNESCAC (DIII)http://www.bateshockey.com/node/align=center
Colby-Sawyer CollegeNew London, NHChargersNAC (DIII)http://www.colby-sawyerathletics.com/index.aspx?path=ice_hockeyalign=center
Thomas CollegeWaterville, METerriersNAC (DIII)http://athletics.thomas.edu/sports/cice/indexalign=center
University of New EnglandBiddeford, MENor'eastersCCC (DIII)http://athletics.une.edu/sports/2013/10/1/GEN_1001135728.aspx?id=156align=center

Colonial Conference South

SchoolLocationNicknamePrimary conferenceWebsiteTeam Colors
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MassachusettsEngineersNEWMAC (DIII)http://www.mithockey.pointstreaksites.com/view/mitengineersalign=center
Springfield CollegeSpringfield, MAPrideNEWMAC (DIII)http://www.spfldcol.edu/student-life/campus-recreation/club-sportsalign=center
United States Coast Guard AcademyNew London, CTBearsNEWMAC (DIII)http://www.coastguardhockey.com/align=center
University of Connecticut (Blue)Storrs, CTHuskiesBig East (DI)http://acha_necha.wttstats.pointstreak.com/teamplayerstats.html?teamid=628559&seasonid=18548align=center
University of New HavenWest Haven, CTChargersNE10 (DII)https://www.facebook.com/pages/UNH-Puck/242419382469764align=center
Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcester, MAEngineersNEWMAC (DIII)http://athletics.wpi.edu/navbar_red/club_sports/club_sports_teamsalign=center

Other members

NECHA Probationary Members

NECHA Associate Members

Note: Boston College, Boston University, College of the Holy Cross, University of Connecticut, Harvard University, Merrimack College, Northeastern University, University of Maine, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, University of Massachusetts-Lowell and University of Vermont have NCAA varsity hockey programs at NCAA Division I level.

Saint Anselm College and Southern New Hampshire University have varsity hockey at the NCAA Division II level.

Norwich University, Trinity College, Tufts University, University of New England, and Westfield State University have varsity hockey at the NCAA Division III level.

See also