Northeast Collegiate Hockey Association
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.
 | |
| Conference | ACHA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1982 |
| Commissioner | William S. Dow |
| Sports fielded |
|
| Division | Division II & Division III |
| No. of teams | 34 |
| Headquarters | Keene, New Hampshire |
| Region | Northeast |
| Most recent champion(s) | Patriot: UMass American: Bentley Colonial: Coast Guard |
| Official website | Official website |
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
| School | Location | Nickname | Primary conference | Website | Team Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston College | Chestnut Hill, MA | Eagles | ACC (DI) | ||
| Boston University | Boston, MA | Terriers | Patriot (DI) | ||
| Bryant University | Smithfield, RI | Bulldogs | NEC (DI) | ||
| Merrimack College | North Andover, MA | Warriors | NE10 (DII) | ||
| Northeastern University | Boston, MA | Huskies | CAA (DI) | ||
| Providence College | Providence, RI | Friars | Big East (DI) | ||
Patriot Conference West
| School | Location | Nickname | Primary conference | Website | Team Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of the Holy Cross | Worcester, MA | Crusaders | Patriot (DI) | ||
| Keene State College | Keene, NH | Owls | LEC (DIII) | ||
| University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT | Huskies | Big East (DI) | ||
| UMass Amherst | Amherst, MA | Minutemen | A10 (DI) | ||
| University of Vermont | Burlington, VT | Catamounts | AEC (DI) | ||
American Conference North
| School | Location | Nickname | Primary conference | Website | Team Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dartmouth College | Hanover, NH | Big Green | Ivy (DI) | ||
| Harvard University | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Crimson | Ivy (DI) | ||
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Engineers | NEWMAC (DIII) | ||
| Norwich University | Northfield, VT | Cadets | GNAC (DIII) | ||
| Saint Anselm College | Goffstown, NH | Hawks | NE10 (DII) | ||
| Southern New Hampshire University | Manchester, NH | Penmen | NE10 (DII) | ||
| UMass Lowell | Lowell, MA | River Hawks | AEC (DI) | ||
American Conference South
| School | Location | Nickname | Primary conference | Website | Team Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bentley University | Waltham, MA | Falcons | NE10 (DII) | ||
| Bridgewater State University | Bridgewater, MA | Bears | ECAC (DIII) | ||
| Connecticut College | New London, CT | Camels | NESCAC (DII) | ||
| Eastern Connecticut State University | Willimantic, CT | Warriors | LEC (DIII) | ||
| Roger Williams University | Bristol, RI | Hawks | CCC (DIII) | ||
| Westfield State University | Westfield, MA | Owls | MASCAC (DIII) | ||
Colonial Conference North
| School | Location | Nickname | Primary conference | Website | Team Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bates College | Lewiston, ME | Bobcats | NESCAC (DIII) | ||
| Colby-Sawyer College | New London, NH | Chargers | NAC (DIII) | ||
| Thomas College | Waterville, ME | Terriers | NAC (DIII) | ||
| University of New England | Biddeford, ME | Nor'easters | CCC (DIII) | ||
Colonial Conference South
| School | Location | Nickname | Primary conference | Website | Team Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Engineers | NEWMAC (DIII) | ||
| Springfield College | Springfield, MA | Pride | NEWMAC (DIII) | ||
| United States Coast Guard Academy | New London, CT | Bears | NEWMAC (DIII) | ||
| University of Connecticut (Blue) | Storrs, CT | Huskies | Big East (DI) | ||
| University of New Haven | West Haven, CT | Chargers | NE10 (DII) | ||
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Worcester, MA | Engineers | NEWMAC (DIII) | ||
Other members
NECHA Probationary Members
NECHA Associate Members
- Gordon College
- Trinity College
- Tufts University
- University of Maine
- Wentworth Institute of Technology
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.