The Northeast Collegiate Hockey League is an ACHA Division I Hockey League consisting of seven teams in the Northeastern United States . A majority of members are located in New York with additional teams coming from New Jersey .
The league was announced on July 19, 2007 with plans to begin its first season later that year.[ 1] The league's first seven members were Binghamton University , Ithaca College , Penn State Berks , Rutgers University , St. Bonaventure University , SUNY Cortland , and SUNY Oswego . Andy Gojdycz was named the NECHL's first commissioner.
Ahead of the 2010–11 season, Syracuse University joined the NECHL from the Eastern Collegiate Hockey League .[ 2] By 2013, the Orange were joined by four more former ECHL schools; Niagara University , Rochester Institute of Technology , University at Buffalo , and Canisius University .[ 3]
The College of New Jersey jumped from ACHA Division II and joined the NECHL for the 2022–23 season.[ 4]
Buffalo was unable to field a team for the 2024–25 season, leaving the NECHL with five teams.[ 5] [ 6] However, the Bulls remained members of the conference officially. Oswego announced it would leave the conference following the 2024–25 season and join the Atlantic Coast Collegiate Hockey League's new ACHA Division I conference.[ 7]
Teams play a 15 game league schedule, playing each of the other five teams three times in the regular season. At the conclusion of the regular season the league holds a post season tournament hosted by one of the member schools. The tournament is held over three days at a single venue with top-seeded teams receiving first round byes. The Memorial Cup and an automatic bid to the ACHA Men's Division I National Championship Tournament is awarded to the winner of the tournament.
School
Location
Founded
Affiliation
Enrollment
Nickname
Primary conference
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY
1846
Public
28,192
Bulls
Mid-American Conference (D-I )
Canisius University
Buffalo, NY
1870
Private/Roman Catholic
5,152
Golden Griffins
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (D-I )
Rochester Institute of Technology
Henrietta, NY
1829
Private/Non-sectarian
13,861
Tigers
Empire 8 (D-III )
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ
1766
Public
67,556
Scarlet Knights
Big Ten Conference (D-I )
SUNY Oswego
Oswego, NY
1861
Public
8,909
Lakers
SUNYAC (D-III )
The College of New Jersey
Ewing, NJ
1855
Public
7,340
Lions
New Jersey Athletic Conference (D-III )
Note: Canisius and RIT also field NCAA Division I hockey teams, SUNY - Oswego also fields NCAA Division III .
Membership timeline [ edit ]
Championship results [ edit ]
Season
Date
Winner
Score
Runners–up
Venue
Regular season winner
Source(s)
2007–08
February 4, 2008
Oswego Lakers
4–2
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Campus Center Ice Arena
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
[ 8]
2008–09
March 1, 2009
Cornell Big Red
5–3
Penn State Berks
ProtecHockey Ponds
Penn State Berks Rutgers Scarlet Knights
[ 9]
2009–10
February 21, 2010
Binghamton Bearcats
4–0
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Body Zone Sports Complex
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
[ 10]
2010–11
February 20, 2011
Syracuse Orange
8–4
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Campus Center Ice Arena
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
[ 11] [ 12]
2011–12
February 19, 2012
Cornell Big Red
4–3 (OT)
Syracuse Orange
Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
[ 13]
2012–13
February 24, 2013
Buffalo Bulls
8–7 (2OT)
Niagara Purple Eagles
Northtown Center
Niagara Purple Eagles
[ 14]
2013–14
March 2, 2014
Niagara Purple Eagles
6–5
Canisius Golden Griffins
Northtown Center
Syracuse Orange
[ 15] [ 16] [ 17]
2014–15
February 22, 2015
Niagara Purple Eagles
5–4
Buffalo Bulls
Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion
Niagara Purple Eagles
[ 18]
2015–16
February 21, 2016
Syracuse Orange
6–3
Niagara Purple Eagles
Tennity Ice Skating Pavilion
Syracuse Orange
[ 19]
2016–17
February 26, 2017
Niagara Purple Eagles
9–1
Canisius Golden Griffins
Harborcenter
Syracuse Orange
[ 20]
2017–18
March 4, 2018
Buffalo Bulls
5–2
RIT Tigers
The Rink (Ithaca, NY )
Buffalo Bulls
[ 20]
2018–19
March 3, 2019
Buffalo Bulls
2–1
Canisius Golden Griffins
North Buffalo Ice Rink
Buffalo Bulls
[ 20]
2019–20
March 1, 2020
Niagara Purple Eagles
4–3
Oswego Lakers
North Buffalo Ice Rink
Niagara Purple Eagles
[ 20]
2020–21
Not played due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
2021–22
February 27, 2022
Niagara Purple Eagles
3–2
Oswego Lakers
Dwyer Arena
Niagara Purple Eagles
[ 21]
2022–23
February 26, 2023
Buffalo Bulls
4–3
Canisius Golden Griffins
Tsai Field House
RIT Tigers
[ 22]
2023–24
February 18, 2024
Oswego Lakers
5–2
Canisius Golden Griffins
Deborah F. Stanley Arena
Oswego Lakers
[ 23]
2024–25
February 23, 2024
Oswego Lakers
11–0
RIT Tigers
LECOM Harborcenter
Oswego Lakers
[ 24]
ACHA National Tournament results [ edit ]
NECHL team tournament records [ edit ]
Teams that no longer participate in the Northeast Collegiate Hockey League are in italics .
^ The 2020 ACHA Division 1 National Tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [ 46]
^ The NECHL did not play a 2020–21 season however some schools opted to play a shortened spring season. Canisius finished this period ranked 14th in the nation and was given a berth into the national tournament.
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^ Daley, Henry (20 May 2024). "SA de-recognizes men's and women's ice hockey club teams" . The Spectrum . Retrieved 22 October 2024 .
^ Lai, Mylien (2 October 2024). "SA derecognition could halt UB ice hockey after 128 years" . The Spectrum .
^ "Oswego State University Men's ACHA D1 Club Ice Hockey" . www.oswegoachahockey.com . 28 August 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2024 .
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^ "2009-10 Season Recap" . nechlhockey . Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2021 .
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^ "2010-11 NECHL Game Schedule" . nechlhockey . Archived from the original on 11 March 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2021 .
^ "2011-12 Season Recap" . nechlhockey . Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2021 .
^ "2012-13 Season Recap" . nechlhockey . Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 23 November 2021 .
^ "Tweet" . Twitter . Canisius Hockey. 2 March 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2021 .
^ "Tweet" . Twitter . Canisius Hockey. 2 March 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2021 .
^ "Tweet" . Twitter . Canisius Hockey. 1 March 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2021 .
^ "Back to Back Champs!!" . www.nuachahockey.pointstreaksites.com . Niagara University Hockey. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 23 November 2021 .
^ "Tweet" . Twitter . Syracuse Hockey. 21 February 2016. Retrieved 23 November 2021 .
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^ "Oswego State University Men's ACHA D1 Club Ice Hockey" . www.oswegoachahockey.com . 19 February 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024 .
^ "Lakers club hockey headed to nationals" . Oswego County News Now . 4 March 2025.
^ "Men's Hockey Advances To ACHA Quarterfinals With 14-2 Win" . Lindenwood University Athletics . 15 March 2009. Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ "2009 ACHA Men's Division 1 National Championships Bracket" (PDF) . ACHA Hockey . Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 December 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ "Men's Ice Hockey Advances to ACHA DI Semifinals" . Lindenwood University Athletics . 5 March 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ "Men's Ice Hockey No. 15 in Final ACHA Poll" . SUNY Canton Athletics . 30 March 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ "Panthers Dominate No. 15 Rutgers" . Davenport University Athletics . 5 March 2011. Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ "2011 M1 National Tournament" . ACHA Hockey . Archived from the original on 28 August 2011. Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ "2012 M1 National Tournament" . ACHA Hockey . Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ "Tweet" . Twitter . Penn State Men’s Hockey. 2 March 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ "2013 ACHA Division 1 National Tournament" . ACHA Hockey . Archived from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ "Men's Ice Hockey Earns 17th Seed For The 2014 ACHA D1 National Championship" . Lindenwood University Athletics . 18 February 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ "University of Delaware Ice Arenas" . www1.udel.edu . Archived from the original on 12 March 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ Riordan, Tim (5 March 2015). "Bulls furious Rally comes up one goal short" . Bull Run . Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ "2015 ACHA MEN'S DIVISION 1 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS" (PDF) . ACHA Hockey . Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ Carter, Whitt (11 March 2015). "UCO Hockey Wins First ACHA Division I National Championship" . www3.uco.edu . Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ "ACHA Boxscore - Syracuse University vs University of Illinois" . acha.stats.pointstreak.com . Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ Ceva, Claudia (4 March 2016). "Men's Hockey Wins First National Tournament Game" . Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician . Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ Desantis, Michael (5 March 2016). "SBU Ice Hockey Outlasts Syracuse in First Round of Nationals" . The Stony Brook Press . Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ "Midland University makes history with first win at ACHA National Championship" . www.midlandathletics.com . 9 March 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2021 .
^ "ACHA Nationals Boxscore - Syracuse University vs Midland University" . achanationals.stats.pointstreak.com . Retrieved 25 November 2021 .
^ "Panthers win big during first round over Buffalo in the ACHA National Championships" . Davenport University Athletics . 8 March 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2021 .
^ Hill, David (19 March 2019). "UB hockey teams get their chance in the spotlight" . www.buffalo.edu . Retrieved 25 November 2021 .
^ "ACHA CANCELS 2020 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT" . pointstreaksites.com . 12 March 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2021 .
^ "2020 ACHA Division 1 Nationals Bracket" . www.achanationals.com . Archived from the original on March 13, 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2021 .
^ "Men's Ice Hockey Cruises to First Round Win at Nationals" . Lindenwood University Athletics . 16 April 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021 .
^ Monesi, Maria (11 March 2022). "Hockey: Numbers to know from Ohio's 7-3 tournament win against Niagara" . The Post . Retrieved 14 March 2022 .
^ "American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA)" . www.achahockey.org . Retrieved 18 November 2023 .
^ "American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA)" .
^ "American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA)" .
^ "American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) - Game Center - Oswego vs Indiana Tech" . www.achahockey.org . Retrieved 18 March 2025 .
^ "American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Game Center - Oswego vs Liberty" . www.achahockey.org . Retrieved 18 March 2025 .