United Collegiate Hockey Conference

Summary

The United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) is a college athletic conference which operates in Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania in the eastern United States. It participates in NCAA Division III as a hockey-only conference.

United Collegiate Hockey Conference
AssociationNCAA
Founded2016
CommissionerChuck Mitrano (since 2016)
Sports fielded
DivisionDivision III
No. of teams13
HeadquartersRochester, New York
RegionEastern United States
Official websitetheuchc.com
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

The conference was announced in 2016 as an association of 10 schools and league play began for the 2017–18 academic year, with nine each playing in the men's and women's divisions. The majority of the member schools were previously members of the now-defunct ECAC West hockey conference. Wilkes University was also announced as a future member for both the men's and women's divisions for the start of the 2018–19 academic year,[1] the same time when charter men's member Nazareth College began varsity women's play in the UCHC.[2] The following season, Alvernia University joined for its first season of varsity women's play.[3] A more recent change to conference membership came in July 2021 with the launch of new varsity men's and women's programs by Arcadia University.[4] The most recent change came in 2022–23 when Alvernia added a newly launched men's team to its existing UCHC membership.[5]

The league did not have an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Men's Ice Hockey Championship or the NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey Championship for the 2017–18 season but the Men's league gained the bid for the 2018–19 season and the Women's league did for the 2019-20 season.[6]

Members schools edit

Current members edit

 
 
100km
62miles
 
 
Wilkes
 
Utica
 
Stevenson
 
Neumann
 
Nazareth
 
Manhattanville
 
Lebanon Valley
 
King's
 
Chatham
 
Arcadia
 
Alvernia
  
 
Locations of United Collegiate Hockey Conference members
(  women's only)
School Location Nickname Founded Affiliation Enrollment Year Joined Primary Conference Colors
Alvernia University Reading, Pennsylvania Golden Wolves 1958 Private 2,872 2019-20 (women)
2022-23 (men)
MAC Commonwealth    
Arcadia University Glenside, Pennsylvania Knights 1853 Private 2,473 2021-22 MAC Freedom    
Chatham University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Cougars 1869 Private 2,300 2017-18 PAC    
King's College Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Monarchs 1946 Private/Catholic 2,300 2017-18 MAC Freedom    
Lebanon Valley College Annville, Pennsylvania Flying Dutchmen 1866 Private/Methodist 1,750 2017-18 MAC Commonwealth    
Manhattanville College Purchase, New York Valiants 1841 Private 2,700 2017-18 Skyline    
Nazareth College Pittsford, New York Golden Flyers 1924 Private 2,800 2017-18

(men)
2018-19 (women)

Empire 8    
Neumann University Aston, Pennsylvania Knights 1965 Private/Catholic 3,000 2017-18 CSAC      
Stevenson University Baltimore County, Maryland Mustangs 1947 Private 3,700 2017-18 MAC Commonwealth    
Utica University Utica, New York Pioneers 1946 Private 4,400 2017-18 Empire 8    
Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania Colonels 1933 Private 5,000 2018-19 Landmark    

Future Members edit

School Location Nickname Founded Affiliation Enrollment Year Joining Primary Conference Colors
State University of New York at Brockport Brockport, New York Golden Eagles 1867 Public 7,924 2024-25 (men)[7] SUNYAC
(Empire 8 in 2024-25)
   
State University of New York at Geneseo Geneseo, New York Knights 1871 4,910 2024-25 (men)[8]    

Membership timeline edit

SUNY GeneseoSUNY BrockportArcadia UniversityAlvernia UniversityWilkes UniversityHobart and William Smith CollegesUtica CollegeStevenson UniversityNeumann UniversityNazareth College (New York)Manhattanville CollegeLebanon Valley CollegeKing's College (Pennsylvania)Chatham UniversityElmira College

Former members edit

School Location Nickname Founded Affiliation Enrollment Year Joined Year Left Current Conference Colors
Elmira College Elmira, New York Soaring Eagles 1855 Private 1,170 2017-18 2021-22 NEHC    
William Smith College Geneva, New York Herons 1908 Private 2,229 2017-18 2021-22 NEHC    

Champions edit

Arenas edit

School Arena Capacity
Alvernia The Body Zone
Santander Arena (alternate)
n/a
7,000
Arcadia Hatfield Ice Arena n/a
Chatham Frozen Pond Arena n/a
Elmira Murray Athletic Center 3,200
King's Revolution Ice Centre 500
Lebanon Valley Hersheypark Arena 7,286
Manhattanville PlayLand Ice Casino n/a
Nazareth Bill Gray's Regional Iceplex 3,000
Neumann IceWorks Skating Complex n/a
Stevenson Reisterstown Sportsplex n/a
Utica Adirondack Bank Center 3,860
Wilkes Toyota SportsPlex 3,860

References edit

  1. ^ "United Collegiate Hockey Conference to debut next season". D3Hockey.com. D3Hockey.com. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  2. ^ "Nazareth to add women's ice hockey". nazathletics.com. Nazareth College. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  3. ^ "Alvernia Will Add Women's Ice Hockey as 27th Varsity Sport" (Press release). Alvernia Golden Wolves. March 2, 2018. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  4. ^ "Arcadia University to Add Men's and Women's Ice Hockey for 2021-22" (Press release). Arcadia Knights. June 26, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  5. ^ "Alvernia Announces the Addition of Men's Ice Hockey in 2022-23" (Press release). Middle Atlantic Conference. August 3, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
  6. ^ "UCHC Men get Automatic Bid". D3Hockey.com.
  7. ^ "SUNY Brockport and SUNY Geneseo Men's Hockey Programs to Join UCHC in 2024-25". theuchc.com. September 6, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  8. ^ "SUNY Brockport and SUNY Geneseo Men's Hockey Programs to Join UCHC in 2024-25". theuchc.com. September 6, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.

External links edit

  • Official web site