College Hockey East
College Hockey East | |
---|---|
Established | 1971 as WPIHA 2002 as CHE; used to be WPCHA and WPIHA |
Members | 10 |
Sport | ACHA Division 2/3 hockey |
Region | Northeast |
States | 2 - Pennsylvania, New York |
Headquarters | Pittsburgh, PA |
Commissioner | Jamison Roth |
College Hockey East (CHE) is a mixed American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division 2 and Division 3 league for universities in the Western Pennsylvania region.
History
The league began in 1971 as the Western Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Hockey Association (WPIHA). The WPIHA was renamed the "Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Hockey Association" (WPCHA) a couple of years later, and this name lasted until the end of the 2002 season when the league was renamed "College Hockey East", reflecting the growth of the league outside of Pennsylvania. Membership in CHE has been fluid, with many teams coming and going over the years. Some programs have become more prominent, whereas others have folded completely or scaled back dramatically. However, under the current leadership, CHE has established itself as a premier ACHA D-3 conference, and members are more committed to staying. University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown has the longest continuous tenure in CHE, followed by Indiana University of Pennsylvania's second team and St. Vincent College; the three of them joined CHE in the mid-to-late 1990s. The other teams have joined since 2000 or have had some interruption in their membership. The CHE has produced two ACHA Division 3 National Championship teams. In 2002 Robert Morris University beat University of Wyoming 3-2 to become the first. In 2008 California University of Pennsylvania beat San Diego State University 7-3 to become the second.
Teams
North Division
School | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Nickname | Colors |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
California University of Pennsylvania | California, PA | 1852 | Public (Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education) | Vulcans | |
Fredonia State University | Fredonia, NY | 1826 | Public (State University of New York) | Blue Devils | |
Penn State Behrend | Erie, PA | 1948 | Public (Pennsylvania State University) | Nittany Lions | |
Robert Morris University | Moon Township, PA | 1921 | Private/Non-Sectarian | Colonials |
South Division
School | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Nickname | Colors |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Penn State Altoona | Altoona, PA | 1939 | Public (Pennsylvania State University) | Nittany Lions | |
University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown | Johnstown, PA | 1927 | Public (University of Pittsburgh) | Ice Cats | |
Saint Vincent College | Latrobe, PA | 1846 | Private/Roman Catholic | Bearcats |
East Division
School | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Nickname | Colors |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saint Francis University | Loretto, PA | 1847 | Private/Roman Catholic (Franciscan) | N/A | |
Allegheny College | Meadville, PA | 1815 | Private/non-sectarian | Gators | |
Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, PA | 1900 | Private/non-sectarian | Tartans | |
Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, OH | 1967 | Private | Spartans | |
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania | Edinboro, PA | 1857 | Public | Fighting Scots | |
Wheeling Jesuit University | Wheeling, WV | 1954 | Private/Roman Catholic(Jesuit) | Cardinals | |
West Virginia University (2) | Morgantown, WV | 1867 | Public | Mountaineers | |
College of Wooster | Wooster, OH | 1866 | Private | Fighting Scots | |
Former teams
- Now in the Tri-State Collegiate Hockey League (ACHA D-2)
- Now in College Hockey Mid-America (ACHA D-1)
- Duquesne University
- Indiana (PA)
- Pittsburgh
- Slippery Rock
- Washington & Jefferson
- West Virginia
- Youngstown State
- Elsewhere in the ACHA
- Robert Morris (ECHL- ACHA D-1)
- Penn State (MACH- ACHA D-2)
- Gannon (Independent- ACHA D-3)
- Community College of Allegheny County (Independent- ACHA D-3)
Conference Champions
- 2015 - Carnegie Mellon
- 2014 - Pittsburgh-Johnstown
- 2013 - California (PA)
- 2012 - California (PA)
- 2011 - California (PA)
- 2010 - California (PA)
- 2009 - California (PA)
- 2008 - California (PA)
- 2007 - California (PA)
- 2006 - Indiana (PA)
- 2005 - Pittsburgh-Johnstown
- 2004 - Indiana (PA)
- 2003 - Pittsburgh-Johnstown
- 2002 - Penn State
- 2001 - Washington & Jefferson
- 2000 - Robert Morris
- 1999 - Allegheny College
- 1998 - Robert Morris
- 1997 - Penn State
- 1996 - Penn State
- 1995 - Pittsburgh
- 1994 - West Virginia
- 1983 - Carnegie Mellon University
- 1978 - Saint Francis University