Geneseo wins the 2025 UCHC conference championship in their inaugural season in the league. (Photo by SUNY Geneseo Athletics)
Our season previews continue as the 2025-2026 Men’s & Women’s Division III hockey regular season nears closer. Today, we look at the men’s side of the United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC).
The UCHC features:
Albertus Magnus
Brockport
Chatham
Elmira
Geneseo
Manhattanville
Nazareth
St. John Fisher
Utica
2024-2025 Overview
Last season we saw a very different everchanging UCHC as we’ll see again this season. The league went through a major change with the MAC schools leaving for their own MAC-sponsored hockey conference, leaving the UCHC with a mere four teams. However, SUNY Geneseo & SUNY Brockport joined the league, raising that number up to six. This season, that number is now at nine, with the additions of Albertus Magnus, Elmira, & St. John Fisher this offseason.
We saw Geneseo (24-5-1) & Utica (24-5-2) lead the way all season long, going back and forth in the head-to-head matchups, which ended in both squads making respective runs to the Frozen Four. In their first season as a member of the UCHC (formerly SUNYAC), Head Coach Chris Schultz & his Geneseo Ice Knights defeated Utica 7-4 in the title game, securing the auto-bid. The Knights & Pioneers would both be eliminated by the national champions Hobart, with Geneseo falling 2-1 in the semifinals and Utica in the championship game 2-1 (OT).
#4 Utica Univ. (21-4-2) defeats #14 Fitchburg State (15-12-1) 4-1 to advance to the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals next weekend. (Photo by Scott Kinville of CNYHockeyReport.com)
These two really did separate themselves from the field… Utica led the regular season with 51 points, Geneseo close behind with 48, then Manhattanville was the next closest with a mere 25… This season will be very different with more teams in the mix, but expect these two to be the heavy frontrunners come February/March.
I think one of the bigger storylines is that with the addition of Geneseo to the UCHC, it ultimately helped Utica as I mentioned in our conference realignment article as it helped their SOS mightily and Geneseo didn’t skip a beat from the SUNYAC, where they won five of the last nine SUNYAC titles (excluding covid).
Returning Production
Looking at the league and the returning production via our guy Scott Huston, we find some interesting results:
The 2025-26 season in the UCHC brings a fascinating mix of returning production and roster challenges among its top contenders. Manhattanville leads the group with an impressive 77.55% of total points returning, including 80.26% of goals and 75.83% of assists. The Valiants’ stability, particularly in their top six forwards, gives them a legitimate shot at mixing themselves in with the early-season favorites Geneseo & Utica if everything goes to plan. Their experience and balanced offense suggest they’ll open the year as one of the most complete teams in the conference.
Chatham follows closely behind with 74.15% of total points returning and an even split of 72.73% goals and 75% assists. The Cougars return most of their offensive contributors, giving them a strong chance to build off last season’s momentum and stay competitive in the playoff race.
The defending conference champion Geneseo comes in more middle-of-the-pack, retaining 63.38% of total points and just over 63% in both goals and assists. That number reflects solid depth but also hints at the loss of key playmakers. Still, with their structured defensive system and consistent goaltending, they remain a team that can grind out wins. The Ice Knights look to go two for two in UCHC titles.
Nazareth returns 55.49% of points, signaling a noticeable transition year. The Golden Flyers’ reliance on underclassmen and new faces will test their ability to maintain consistency against more veteran squads.
On the lower end, Albertus Magnus (52.17%), Brockport (64.38%), and especially Elmira, who bring back just 32.43% of their total points, will need immediate production from newcomers. Utica, the longtime conference power-prior to Geneseo entering the mix, returns only 47.32% of its points after graduating a large senior class, yet their depth and coaching continuity should keep them near the top. We’ll need to see how long it takes the Pioneers to start gelling with their new mix of D-I and D-III transfers as they loaded up on plenty of them, now the chemistry just needs to get better as the talent on paper is there.
Dark Horses
I think a dark horse in this league is a program in their inaugural season, St. John Fisher. The Cardinals opened their season with a 2-1 victory over Buffalo State, who’s by no means an easy victory, it’s impressive to say the least for an inaugural team in their first-ever game. I think SJF is right in the mix with the rest of the teams within the league. I’m not claiming they’ll win the thing or even be top four, but I could easily see them mixing right in and potentially making the conference playoffs.
St. John Fisher Men’s Hockey defeats Buffalo State 2-1 in their first-ever game as a program. (Photo by Riley DeGouff)
Elmira’s an odd team, they return nearly nothing, including losing their starting goaltender Kyle Curtin to a now conference-foe in Utica. The Soaring Eagles I think should be considered a dark horse because on paper they’re in no shape to win the league, nor challenge the top two, but if HC Aaron Saul can put it together and get the group rolling at the right time, maybe we see an upset or two in the playoffs and Elmira finds themselves a game away from the NCAA tournament…
Finally, I would add Albertus Magnus into the mix as they’ve put together some solid seasons as of late, despite being an independent until last season’s one-year stint in the dissolved NEHC, the Falcons have a record of 53-24-2 from 2021-2024, and finished 12-13-1 in the NEHC, some solid numbers for a newer program. The Falcons, led by Head Coach Kyle Wallack, will likely be fighting for a playoff spot and potentially a seed as high as four or so, I think they’ll win a fair number of games in this league, time will tell if they can beat the big two, but then again… they were the only one’s last season to dethrone Hobart.
Final Thoughts
This upcoming UCHC season promises to be one of the most competitive and unpredictable in recent memory. With nine teams now in the mix, the league has reached a new level of depth and intrigue. Geneseo and Utica remain the clear favorites amongst the pack, both boasting elite talent and championship-caliber systems, but the gap behind them isn’t as wide as past years. Manhattanville’s returning core gives them a legitimate chance to challenge the top tier, while Chatham continues to prove it belongs among the conference’s most consistent programs. Newcomers like Albertus Magnus, Elmira, and St. John Fisher inject fresh energy and storylines with each bringing something unique to the table, from strong recruiting classes to proven coaching. The league’s identity has shifted from a two-team race to one where nearly every weekend can bring new postseason possibilities. If the early signs are any indication, the 2025–26 campaign will be defined by parity, unpredictability, and a whole lot of fun hockey.
