The United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) is a NCAA Division III hockey conference that began playing men’s and women’s hockey for the 2017-18 season. The NCHA is a single-sport conference, only sponsoring hockey.
Current Membership
Men’s (9 schools)
- Albertus Magnus Falcons
- Brockport Golden Eagles
- Chatham Cougars
- Elmira Soaring Eagles
- Geneseo Knights
- Manhattanville Valiants
- Nazareth Golden Flyers
- St. John Fisher Cardinals
- Utica Pioneers
Women’s (8 schools)
- Albertus Magnus Falcons
- Chatham Cougars
- Elmira Soaring Eagles
- Hilbert Hawks
- Manhattanville Valiants
- Nazareth Golden Flyers
- St. John Fisher Cardinals
- Utica Pioneers
History
Like many before it, the UCHC is a hockey-only conference that was created following the disbanding of the ECAC, specifically the ECAC West. Many of the leftover schools moved into the UCHC, and after two years acquired an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.
What was unique about this hockey-only conference, is that many of its initial members were part of the MAC, an all-sports conference, that sponsored men’s hockey, but within the UCHC, as there weren’t quite enough hockey playing schools to break away from their former ECAC counterparts.
Eventually, after seven seasons, the MAC got enough schools to sponsor men’s hockey, and when they broke away from the league, the UCHC used a splintering SUNYAC to their advantage, adding two charter members who were looking for closer opponents to cut costs. The league has reshaped itself, and a power program who has run this league since its inception now has stiffer competition.
Men’s
Timeline
- 2017-18: (9) Chatham, Elmira, King’s, Lebanon Valley, Manhattanville, Nazareth, Neumann, Stevenson, Utica
- The UCHC is formed as a hockey-only league following the dissolving of the ECAC.
- Elmira, Lebanon Valley, Manhattanville, Nazareth, Neumann, Stevenson and Utica come directly from the ECAC West, while Chatham and King’s are new programs.
- With the MAC also sponsoring hockey, five programs are technically all-sports members of that league. However, the MAC used a “conference within a conference” approach, meaning the UCHC could keep these schools as well.
- The UCHC applied for a waiver to receive an instant automatic bid, as most of the ECAC West was absorbed into the new league. The request was denied, meaning the UCHC automatic bid wouldn’t come until 2020.
- The UCHC is formed as a hockey-only league following the dissolving of the ECAC.
- 2018-19: (10) Chatham, Elmira, King’s, Lebanon Valley, Manhattanville, Nazareth, Neumann, Stevenson, Utica, Wilkes
- Although their initial plans were to start a year prior, Wilkes University and their new men’s hockey program officially joins the UCHC.
- 2021-22: (10) Arcadia, Chatham, King’s, Lebanon Valley, Manhattanville, Nazareth, Neumann, Stevenson, Utica, Wilkes
- Arcadia University launches their men’s hockey program, and joins the UCHC.
- Elmira College exits the UCHC, joining the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC).
- 2022-23: (11) Alvernia, Arcadia, Chatham, King’s, Lebanon Valley, Manhattanville, Nazareth, Neumann, Stevenson, Utica, Wilkes
- Alvernia University launches their men’s hockey program, and joins the UCHC.
- 2024-25: (6) Brockport, Chatham, Geneseo, Manhattanville, Nazareth, Utica
- After years of operating within the UCHC, the MAC (with additions) finally has enough teams to sponsor the sport on its own with its own path to the NCAA Tournament.
- Thus, the MAC members of Alvernia, Arcadia, King’s, Lebanon Valley, Neumann, Stevenson, and Wilkes leave the UCHC.
- To backfill, the UCHC poaches two charter members of the SUNYAC, adding Brockport and Geneseo as hockey-playing members, giving those programs easier travel for their conference road trips.
- After years of operating within the UCHC, the MAC (with additions) finally has enough teams to sponsor the sport on its own with its own path to the NCAA Tournament.
- 2025-26: (9) Albertus Magnus, Brockport, Chatham, Elmira, Geneseo, Manhattanville, Nazareth, St. John Fisher, Utica
- The UCHC finishes its post-MAC transformation, adding three new programs.
- Albertus Magnus, former independent, joins the league.
- Elmira rejoins the league after the folding of the NEHC.
- St. John Fisher launches men’s hockey, joining the conference.
- The UCHC finishes its post-MAC transformation, adding three new programs.
Women’s
The men’s and women’s sides of this league have a very similar story, as they were created at the exact same time. The women’s teams had to wait for an automatic bid as well, but the Pool B rule allowed some quality conference champions a chance at the big dance.
When the MAC schools finally broke away, the women did not have these SUNYAC schools to buoy them, as they didn’t sponsor women’s hockey, so the league was able to poach some other new faces, and re-acquired a familiar face who was the league’s dominant program in the conference’s first four years.
Looking ahead, the UCHC has a pair of dynamo programs that will battle it out for years to come, with some solid depth programs behind it ready to make a jump.
Timeline
- 2017-18: (9) Chatham, Elmira, King’s, Lebanon Valley, Manhattanville, Neumann, Stevenson, Utica, William Smith
- The UCHC is formed as a hockey-only league following the dissolving of the ECAC.
- Chatham, Elmira, Manhattanville, Neumann, Utica and William Smith come directly from the ECAC West, Stevenson joins from the Colonial Hockey Conference (CHC), and King’s joins the league as a new program.
- Like the men, the UCHC also houses MAC schools within the league. With five programs are technically all-sports members of that league, the UCHC could keep these schools, as the MAC used a “conference within a conference” approach.
- The UCHC is formed as a hockey-only league following the dissolving of the ECAC.
- 2018-19: (11) Chatham, Elmira, King’s, Lebanon Valley, Manhattanville, Nazareth, Neumann, Stevenson, Utica, Wilkes, William Smith
- Nazareth University and Wilkes University both launch women’s hockey and immediately join the UCHC.
- However, Wilkes played a reduced UCHC schedule in their first year, and weren’t eligible for the conference tournament.
- Nazareth University and Wilkes University both launch women’s hockey and immediately join the UCHC.
- 2019-20: (12) North- Elmira, King’s, Nazareth, Utica, Wilkes, William Smith; South- Alvernia, Chatham, Lebanon Valley, Manhattanville, Neumann, Stevenson
- Alvernia University launches women’s hockey and joins the UCHC.
- The league splits into two divisions to help with travel and scheduling.
- 2020-21: (12*) Alvernia, Chatham, Elmira, King’s*, Lebanon Valley, Manhattanville, Nazareth, Neumann, Stevenson, Utica, Wilkes, William Smith*
- In the COVID-affected season, the league scraps divisions, as King’s and William Smith opt out of the UCHC season with pandemic concerns.
- 2021-22: (11) Alvernia, Arcadia, Chatham, King’s, Lebanon Valley, Manhattanville, Nazareth, Neumann, Stevenson, Utica, Wilkes
- After the chaotic pandemic season, Alvernia University launches women’s hockey and joins the UCHC.
- Elmira and William Smith leave the UCHC, joining the NEHC.
- 2024-25: (4) Chatham, Manhattanville, Nazareth, Utica
- After a rare two-year period of stability, the UCHC is hit hard by the aforementioned MAC breaking away from the league to operate women’s hockey on its own.
- The MAC members of Alvernia, Arcadia, King’s, Lebanon Valley, Neumann, Stevenson, and Wilkes leave the UCHC.
- The UCHC is just left with four schools, but has a two-year grace period to keep its automatic bid, while looking for schools to help fill out the conference.
- After a rare two-year period of stability, the UCHC is hit hard by the aforementioned MAC breaking away from the league to operate women’s hockey on its own.
- 2025-26: (8) Albertus Magnus, Chatham, Elmira, Hilbert, Manhattanville, Nazareth, St. John Fisher, Utica
- Thanks to some conference shuffling, the UCHC gets back to a stable place, thanks to four new women’s hockey-playing schools.
- Former independents Albertus Magnus and Hilbert join the UCHC.
- With the NEHC folding, Elmira rejoins the conference.
- St. John Fisher launches women’s hockey and joins the UCHC.
- Thanks to some conference shuffling, the UCHC gets back to a stable place, thanks to four new women’s hockey-playing schools.
Season by Season Results
Men’s
| Season | Regular Season Champions | Conference Tournament Champions | NCAA Tournament Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) |
|||
| 2017-18 | Utica | Utica | None |
| 2018-19 | Utica | Manhattanville | Manhattanville |
| 2019-20 | Utica | Utica | Utica |
| 2020-21 | Utica | Elmira | No Tournament |
| 2021-22 | Utica | Utica | Utica |
| 2022-23 | Utica | Utica | Utica |
| 2023-24 | Utica | Utica | Utica |
| 2024-25 | Utica | Geneseo | Geneseo, Utica |
| 2025-26 | Utica | Utica | Utica |
Women’s
| Season | Regular Season Champions | Conference Tournament Champions | NCAA Tournament Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) |
|||
| 2017-18 | Elmira | Elmira | Elmira |
| 2018-19 | Elmira | Elmira | Elmira |
| 2019-20 | Elmira | Elmira | Elmira |
| 2020-21 | Elmira | Elmira | No Tournament |
| 2021-22 | Nazareth | Nazareth | Nazareth |
| 2022-23 | Nazareth | Nazareth | Nazareth |
| 2023-24 | Nazareth | Nazareth | Nazareth |
| 2024-25 | Nazareth | Nazareth | Nazareth |
| 2025-26 | Nazareth | Elmira | Elmira, Nazareth |
Championships by School
Men’s
| School | Regular Season Titles | Tournament Titles |
|---|---|---|
| Utica | 9 | 6 |
| Elmira | 0 | 1 |
| Geneseo | 0 | 1 |
| Manhattanville | 0 | 1 |
Women’s
| School | Regular Season Titles | Tournament Titles |
|---|---|---|
| Nazareth | 5 | 4 |
| Elmira | 4 | 5 |
