The Upstate New York Collegiate Hockey League is a college ice hockey league comprising teams from smaller colleges and universities in and near Upstate New York that is affiliated with the Collegiate Hockey Federation (CHF). The league is based in New York State and has a majority of teams competing in-state along with some from neighboring Pennsylvania and Vermont.
History The league was founded by Andrew Musto in 2006 as a low-cost alternative to higher cost leagues. As of 2017 the league fee per team was $300. League fees are used for playoff ice time, referee fees, scorekeepers, and awards.
At the end of the 2016–17 season, Musto stepped down as commissioner and appointed Jon Marchese the new commissioner. The UNYCHL opened its 11th season with the biggest expansion in its history. The league grew to 23 teams with the additions of SUNY Albany, Gannon University, Mercyhurst University, Clarkson University, Niagara County Community College, Binghamton University and Syracuse University as well as the return of Alfred State College, Hilbert College and SUNY Canton. In addition the league was organized into three divisions based on geography to cut down travel.
Before the 2019–20 season, the league left the ACHA and has joined the Collegiate Hockey Federation.
The league also organizes a second-tier league called UNYCHL Tier 2, which launched with the 2018–19 season. This tier is for new programs in an effort to "provide local area teams an avenue to play competitive hockey while minimizing budgetary impacts and reducing travel costs." UNYCHL T2 holds ten teams which compete among one another for a separate league championship.
In February 2025, the UNYCHL announced a merger with the Super East Collegiate Hockey League (SECHL) for the 2025–26 season, with the two playing under the SECHL name in ACHA Men's Division 2. Once the merger with the UNYCHL is complete, the SECHL will have two divisions. The SECHL East Division will comprise the then-current six current SECHL members (Army (West Point), Clarkson University, Marist University, Montclair State University, Sacred Heart University, and Siena College) while the SECHL West Division will be made of the former UNYCHL teams. UNYCHL members Binghamton University, Niagara University, and St. Bonaventure University applied and were accepted into the ACHA, with other UNYCHL teams going through the ACHA application process. Teams in each SECHL Division will compete against one another and maintain separate divisional playoffs.
Members Tier 1 InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentYearJoinedNicknameChampionshipsHome Rink East Division Hamilton College Clinton, New York 1793 Private 1,872 2010 Continentals 2010, 2018 Sage Rink-Delaney Team Center Le Moyne College Syracuse, New York 1946 Private 2,761 2006 Dolphins 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012Meachem Ice Rink SUNY Albany Albany, New York 1844 Public 19,000 2017 Great Danes Albany County Hockey Facility Union College Schenectady, New York 1795 Private 2,194 2012 Dutchmen The Frank L. Messa Rink at Achilles Center Central Division Clarkson University Potsdam, New York 1896 Private 4,300 2017Golden Knights Cheel Arena Binghamton University Vestal, New York 1946 Public Research University 17,292 2017 Bearcats SUNY Broome Ice Center Ithaca College Ithaca, New York 1892 Private 6,969 2015 Bombers The Rink SUNY Cortland Cortland, New York 1868 Public 6,858 Red Dragons Metro Division Erie Community College Williamsville, New York 1946 Community College 13,649 2018 Kats 2019 Cheektowaga Recreation Ice ArenaNiagara University Lewiston, New York 1856 Private 3,763 2020 Purple Eagles Dwyer Arena St. John Fisher University Pittsford, New York 1948 Private 2,871 2013 Cardinals 2007Bill Gray's Regional Iceplex SUNY Brockport Brockport, New York 1867 Public 8,742 2013 Golden Eagles The Tuttle North Ice ArenaUniversity at Buffalo Buffalo, New York 1846 Public 19,951 2014 Bulls 2015, 2020Northtown Center University of Rochester Rochester, New York 1850 Private 6,304 2014 Yellowjackets 2014, 2016Genesee Valley Sports Complex West Division Alfred State College Alfred, New York 1908 Public 3,500 2017 Pioneers 2019 Olean Recreation Center Buffalo State College Buffalo, New York 1871 Public 11,000 2018 Bengals Buffalo State Ice Arena Canisius College Buffalo, New York 1870 Private 3,464 Golden Griffins Penn State Behrend Erie, Pennsylvania 1948Public 5,050 2018Lions Mercyhurst Ice Center St. Bonaventure Allegany, New York 1858Private 1,627 2018 BonniesWilliam O. Smith Recreation CenterSUNY Fredonia Fredonia, New York 1826Public 5,100 2018Blue Devils Steele Hall Ice Arena
Tier 2 InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentYearJoinedNicknameChampionshipsHome Rink East Division ACPHS Albany, New York 1881 Private 1,392 2015 Panthers Albany Academy Field House SUNY Canton Canton, New York 1906 Public 3,550 2017Roos SUNY Canton Roos HouseSUNY Oneonta Oneonta, New York 1889 Public8,0002006Red Dragons Alumni Field HousePaul Smith's College Paul Smiths, New York 1946 Private 1,000 2018Bobcat Saranac Lake Civic Center West Division Alfred State College Alfred, New York 1908 Public 3,500 2017 Pioneers 2019 Olean Recreation CenterGeneseo Geneseo, New York 1871 Public 5,240 2021Knights Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena (Merritt Athletic Center)Medaille College Buffalo, New York 1937 Private 2,600 2018Mavericks Dann Memorial Rink at Nichols SchoolSUNY Niagara Sanborn, New York 1962 Community College 5,892 2017 Thunder Wolves 2020, 2022Hyde Park Ice Pavilion St. John Fisher University Pittsford, New York 1948 Private 2,871 2013 Cardinals 2007Bill Gray's Regional Iceplex Gannon University Erie, Pennsylvania 1925 Public 3,432 2017 Golden Knights Erie Insurance Arena Mercyhurst University Erie, Pennsylvania 1926 Public 4,363 2021 Lakers Mercyhurst Ice Center University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Bradford, Pennsylvania 1963 Public 1,564 2021 Panthers Callahan Ice Rink
Former Members InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentYear(s)PlayedNicknameChampionshipsCazenovia College Cazenovia, New York 1824 Private 1,000 2007–2012 Wildcats D'Youville University Buffalo, New York 1908 Private 3,000 2011–2015SpartansHilbert College Hamburg, New York 1957 Private/Catholic 1,089 2011–2015Hawks Utica College Utica, New York 1946 Private 3,084 Pioneers St. Lawrence University Canton, New York 1856 Private 2,398 Saints Hobart College Geneva, New York 1822 Private 1,928 2013–2017 Statesmen 2017 Onondaga Community College Syracuse, New York 1961 Community 12,000 2013–2019 Lazers Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, New York 1903 Private 2,500 2013–2019 Thoroughbreds SUNY Geneseo Geneseo, New York 1871 Public 4,950 2013–2019 Knights Gannon University Erie, Pennsylvania 1925 Private Non-Profit 4,412 2017–2019 Golden Knights Mercyhurst University Erie, Pennsylvania 1926 Private University 4,400 2017–2019 Lakers Syracuse University Syracuse, New York 1870 Private research university 21,970 2017–2019 Orange Colgate University Hamilton, New York 1819 Private 3,000 2018–2019 Raiders Castleton University Castleton, Vermont 1789 Public 2,100 2018–2019 Spartans
Timeline
Seasons
Season No. ofteams Top regular season record Playoff Champion 2006–07 St. John Fisher Cardinals 2007–08 Le Moyne Dolphins 2008–09 Le Moyne Dolphins 2009–10 6 Hamilton Continentals (8–1–1) Hamilton Continentals 2010–11 6 Le Moyne Dolphins (9–1–0) Le Moyne Dolphins 2011–12 7 Le Moyne Dolphins (12–0–0) Le Moyne Dolphins 2012–13 14 Le Moyne Dolphins (10–1–1) Canton Kangaroos 2013-14 University of Rochester/Nazareth College 2014-15 16 Le Moyne and St. John Fisher College (12–2–0) University at Buffalo 2015-16 14 University of Rochester/Nazareth College 2016-17 14 Skidmore (10–2–0) Hobart College 2017-18 23 SUNY Geneseo and University of Rochester (10–2–0) Hamilton Continentals 2018–19 Tier 1: 21 Tier 2: 10 Tier 1: Clarkson University (8–0–0) Tier 2: Alfred State (7-0-0-1) Tier 1: Erie Community College Tier 2: Alfred State 2019–20 Tier 1: 21 Tier 2: 10 Tier 1: St Bonaventure (11–0–0) Tier 2: ACPHS (8–0–0) Tier 1: University at Buffalo Tier 2: SUNY Niagara
2015 Playoffs
The 2015 UNYCHL Playoffs were played February 20–22 at the home rink of each #1 and #2 seeds and 27th and 28th at Holiday Twin Rinks in Cheektowaga, New York.
2016 Playoffs
2017 Playoffs
Awards Coach of the Year
YearCoachTeamDivisionCoachTeamDivision 2007 Andrew Musto LeMoyne College 2008 Henry Gaspe Cazenvovia College 2009 Andrew Musto LeMoyne College 2010 Andrew Musto LeMoyne College 2011 April Harper SUNY Oneonta 2012 Bob Shattell LeMoyne College 2013 Zachary Schwann Skidmore College 2014 Jim Doersam University at Buffalo West Matt McDermott Union College East 2015 Randy Smallridge St. John Fisher College West Bob Shattell LeMoyne College East 2016 Justin Niebel University of Rochester West Charlie Boynton Onondaga Community College East 2017 Edd Kirchberger University at Buffalo West Matt McDermott Union College East
League MVP
YearPlayerTeamDivisionPlayerTeamDivision 2007 Matt Selover St. John Fisher College 2008 Dan Deacon LeMoyne College 2009 Dan Deacon LeMoyne College 2010 Bob Shattell LeMoyne College 2011 Leif Catania & Aaron Srebnik Skidmore College 2012 Eric Manley LeMoyne College 2013 Justin Cunningham LeMoyne College 2014 Brett Barton University of Rochester West Charlie Gawne Union College East 2015 Andrew Simonelli St. John Fisher College West Garrett Ordway LeMoyne College East 2016 Steve Sachman SUNY Brockport West Matt Morgia ACPHS East 2017 Ryan Peterson University of Rochester West Luc Chatelin Skidmore College East
Playoff MVP
YearPlayerTeamDivision 2014 Brett Barton University of Rochester West 2015 Adam Oetinger University at Buffalo West 2016 Kyle Schwartz University of Rochester West 2017 Zach McCloskey Hobart College West 2019 Sean Kross Erie Community College Metro 2020 Ryan O'Donnell University at Buffalo Metro
Records
Team Records Least Penalty Minutes in a Season 60 - Skidmore College - 2015-2016 Team Goals Against Average in a Season 2.50 - LeMoyne College - 2014-2015 Team Goals For in a Season 123 - Hamilton College - 2014-2015
These records began tracking at the beginning of the 2014 - 2015 season.
Individual Records Most points in a Season 42 - Matt Morgia - ACPHS - 2015-2016 Most Goals in a Season 25 - Andrew Tullo - Union College - 2015-2016 Most Assists in a Season 20 - Matt Morgia - ACPHS - 2015-2016
These records began tracking at the beginning of the 2014 - 2015 season.
See also National Collegiate Hockey Association National Association of Intercollegiate Hockey List of ice hockey leagues
References