Atlantic Hockey

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.

Atlantic Hockey Association
AHA
Established1997 (as MAAC Hockey)
2003 (as Atlantic Hockey)
AssociationNCAA
DivisionDivision I
Members10
Sports fielded
RegionNortheastern United States and Colorado
Former namesMAAC (1997-2003)
HeadquartersWinthrop, Massachusetts
CommissionerRobert M. DeGregorio, Jr. (since 2003)
Websitehttp://www.atlantichockeyonline.com/
Locations

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]

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[2]Lewiston, New YorkPurple Eagles1856Private/Catholic3,8532010N/A [lower-alpha 1]MAAC   
Rochester Institute of TechnologyHenrietta, New YorkTigers1829Private/Non-sectarian16,8422006CHALiberty League (D-III)     
Sacred Heart UniversityFairfield, ConnecticutPioneers1963Private/Catholic3,5001998NEWHA[lower-alpha 2]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. 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
Main article: Riley Trophy

[3]

SeasonTournamentRegular Season ChampionTournament ChampionNotes
2003–042004 Holy CrossHoly CrossAtlantic Hockey Association founded by American International, Army, Bentley, Canisius, Connecticut, Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart
2004–052005 QuinnipiacMercyhurstFinal AHA season for Quinnipiac, (leaving for the ECAC)
2005–062006 Holy CrossHoly Cross
2006–072007 RITAir ForceAir Force and RIT join the AHA
2007–082008 ArmyAir Force
2008–092009 RIT / Air ForceAir Force
2009–102010 RITRIT
2010–112011 RITAir ForceNiagara and Robert Morris join the AHA
2011–122012 Air ForceAir Force
2012–132013 NiagaraCanisius
2013–142014 MercyhurstRobert MorrisFinal AHA season for Connecticut, (leaving for Hockey East)
2014–152015 Robert MorrisRIT
2015–162016 Robert MorrisRIT
2016–172017 CanisiusAir Force
2017–182018 MercyhurstAir Force
2018–192019 American InternationalAmerican International
2019–202020 American InternationalCancelledTournament cancelled after quarterfinals due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–212021 American InternationalAmerican International
2021–222022 Robert Morris suspended its program prior to the start of the season

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

* – 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, PA 1,500
Mercyhurst (alternate) Erie Insurance Arena Erie, PA 6,833
Niagara Purple Dwyer Arena Lewiston, NY 1,400
RIT Gene Polisseni Center Henrietta, NY 4,300
RIT (alternate) Blue Cross Arena Rochester, NY 10,556
Sacred Heart Webster Bank Arena Bridgeport, CT 8,412
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:[4] 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.[5]

See also

References
  1. "History of the MAAC". augenblick.org.
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2009-01-30.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Niagara Men's Hockey To Join Atlantic Hockey
  3. "Atlantic Hockey Champions". 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  4. "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.
  5. "2003-04 Regular Season Award Winners". Atlantic Hockey. Retrieved 2013-07-18.
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