Northeast Collegiate Hockey Association

Not to be confused with Northern Collegiate Hockey League.
Northeast Collegiate Hockey Association
ConferenceACHA
Founded1982
CommissionerWilliam S. Dow
Sports fielded
  • Men's ice hockey
DivisionDivision II & Division III
No. of teams34
HeadquartersKeene, New Hampshire
RegionNortheast
Most recent
champion(s)		Patriot: UMass
American: Bentley
Colonial: Coast Guard
Official websiteOfficial 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 and 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 ten 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

School Location Nickname Primary conference Website Team colors
Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA Eagles ACC (DI) [1]    
Boston University Boston, MA Terriers Patriot (DI) [2]    
Bryant University Smithfield, RI Bulldogs NEC (DI) [3]    
Merrimack College North Andover, MA Warriors NE10 (DII) [4]    
Northeastern University Boston, MA Huskies CAA (DI) [5]    
Providence College Providence, RI Friars Big East (DI) [6]    

Patriot Conference West

School Location Nickname Primary conference Website Team colors
College of the Holy Cross Worcester, MA Crusaders Patriot (DI) [7]    
Keene State College Keene, NH Owls LEC (DIII) [8]    
University of Connecticut Storrs, CT Huskies Big East (DI) [9]    
UMass Amherst Amherst, MA Minutemen A10 (DI) [10]    
University of Vermont Burlington, VT Catamounts AEC (DI) [11]    

American Conference North

School Location Nickname Primary conference Website Team colors
Dartmouth College Hanover, NH Big Green Ivy (DI) [12]    
Harvard University Cambridge, MA Crimson Ivy (DI) [13]    
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA Engineers NEWMAC (DIII) [14]    
Norwich University Northfield, VT Cadets GNAC (DIII) [15]    
Saint Anselm College Goffstown, NH Hawks NE10 (DII) [16]    
Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH Penmen NE10 (DII) [17]    
UMass Lowell Lowell, MA River Hawks AEC (DI) [18]    

American Conference South

School Location Nickname Primary conference Website Team colors
Bentley University Waltham, MA Falcons NE10 (DII) [19]    
Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA Bears ECAC (DIII) [20]    
Connecticut College New London, CT Camels NESCAC (DII) [21]    
Eastern Connecticut State University Willimantic, CT Warriors LEC (DIII) [22]    
Roger Williams University Bristol, RI Hawks CCC (DIII) [23]    
Westfield State University Westfield, MA Owls MASCAC (DIII) [24]    

Colonial Conference North

School Location Nickname Primary conference Website Team colors
Bates College Lewiston, ME Bobcats NESCAC (DIII) [25]    
Colby–Sawyer College College New London, NH Chargers NAC (DIII) [26]    
Thomas College Waterville, ME Terriers NAC (DIII) [27]    
University of New England Biddeford, ME Nor'easters CCC (DIII) [28]    

Colonial Conference South

School Location Nickname Primary conference Website Team colors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA Engineers NEWMAC (DIII) [29]    
Springfield College Springfield, MA Pride NEWMAC (DIII) [30]    
United States Coast Guard Academy New London, CT Bears NEWMAC (DIII) [31]    
University of Connecticut (Blue) Storrs, CT Huskies Big East (DI) [32]    
University of New Haven West Haven, CT Chargers NE10 (DII) [33]    
Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, MA Engineers NEWMAC (DIII) [34]    

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