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.
History The league was announced on July 19, 2007 with plans to begin its first season later that year. 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. By 2013, the Orange were joined by four more former ECHL schools; Niagara University, Rochester Institute of Technology, University at Buffalo, and Canisius University.
The College of New Jersey jumped from ACHA Division II and joined the NECHL for the 2022–23 season.
Buffalo was unable to field a team for the 2024–25 season, leaving the NECHL with five teams. 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.
In November 2025, it was announced Farmingdale State College and Sacred Heart University would join the NECHL for the 2026–27 season, with the former jumping up from ACHA Division II.
Format 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.
Membership SchoolLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknamePrimary conferenceUniversity at BuffaloBuffalo, NY1846Public28,192BullsMid-American Conference (D-I)Canisius UniversityBuffalo, NY1870Private/Roman Catholic5,152Golden GriffinsMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference (D-I)Rochester Institute of TechnologyHenrietta, NY1829Private/Non-sectarian13,861TigersEmpire 8 (D-III)Rutgers UniversityNew Brunswick, NJ1766Public67,556Scarlet KnightsBig Ten Conference (D-I)The College of New JerseyEwing, NJ1855Public7,340LionsNew Jersey Athletic Conference (D-III) Note: Canisius and RIT also field NCAA Division I hockey teams.
Former Members Penn State Berks, moved to the CSCHC Ithaca College, moved to the UNYCHL Binghamton University, moved to the UNYCHL Syracuse University, moved to the ESCHL St. Bonaventure University, moved to the UNYCHL SUNY Cortland, moved to the UNYCHL Cornell University, moved to the UNYCHL Niagara University, moved to the ESCHL SUNY Oswego, moved to the ACCHL
Membership timeline
Conference Arenas SchoolHockey ArenaCapacityBuffaloNorthtown Center1,800CanisiusLECOM Harborcenter1,900RITFrank Ritter Memorial Ice Arena2,100RutgersProSkate Ice Arena1,500TCNJTsai Field House
Championship results 2007–08February 4, 2008Oswego Lakers4–2Rutgers Scarlet KnightsCampus Center Ice ArenaRutgers Scarlet Knights2008–09March 1, 2009Cornell Big Red5–3Penn State BerksProtecHockey PondsPenn State BerksRutgers Scarlet Knights2009–10February 21, 2010Binghamton Bearcats4–0Rutgers Scarlet KnightsBody Zone Sports ComplexRutgers Scarlet Knights2010–11February 20, 2011Syracuse Orange8–4Rutgers Scarlet KnightsCampus Center Ice ArenaRutgers Scarlet Knights2011–12February 19, 2012Cornell Big Red4–3 (OT)Syracuse OrangeTennity Ice Skating PavilionRutgers Scarlet Knights2012–13February 24, 2013Buffalo Bulls8–7 (2OT)Niagara Purple EaglesNorthtown CenterNiagara Purple Eagles2013–14March 2, 2014Niagara Purple Eagles6–5Canisius Golden GriffinsNorthtown CenterSyracuse Orange2014–15February 22, 2015Niagara Purple Eagles5–4Buffalo BullsTennity Ice Skating PavilionNiagara Purple Eagles2015–16February 21, 2016Syracuse Orange6–3Niagara Purple EaglesTennity Ice Skating PavilionSyracuse Orange2016–17February 26, 2017Niagara Purple Eagles9–1Canisius Golden GriffinsHarborcenterSyracuse Orange2017–18March 4, 2018Buffalo Bulls5–2RIT TigersThe Rink (Ithaca, NY)Buffalo Bulls2018–19March 3, 2019Buffalo Bulls2–1Canisius Golden GriffinsNorth Buffalo Ice RinkBuffalo Bulls2019–20March 1, 2020Niagara Purple Eagles4–3Oswego LakersNorth Buffalo Ice RinkNiagara Purple Eagles2020–21 Not played due to the COVID-19 Pandemic2021–22February 27, 2022Niagara Purple Eagles3–2Oswego LakersDwyer ArenaNiagara Purple Eagles2022–23February 26, 2023Buffalo Bulls4–3Canisius Golden GriffinsTsai Field HouseRIT Tigers2023–24February 18, 2024Oswego Lakers5–2Canisius Golden GriffinsDeborah F. Stanley ArenaOswego Lakers2024–25February 23, 2025Oswego Lakers11–0RIT TigersLECOM HarborcenterOswego Lakers
ACHA National Tournament results 2009First Round#16 Penn State Berks2–14#1 Lindenwood LionsCSCHLConsolationCXL#12 Kent State Golden FlashesCSCHL2010First Round#16 Rutgers Scarlet Knights3–8#1 Lindenwood LionsCSCHLConsolation5–6 (OT)#15 SUNY Canton KangaroosECHL2011First Round#15 Rutgers Scarlet Knights1–12#2 Davenport PanthersGLCHLConsolation6–8#16 Slippery RockCHMA2012Play-in Round#16 Rutgers Scarlet Knights1–5#17 West Virginia MountaineersCHMA2013Play-in Round#19 Niagara Purple Eagles0–1 (OT)#14 Central Oklahoma BronchosWCHL2014Play-in Round#19 Syracuse Orange1–6#14 Oakland Golden GrizzliesGLCHL2015Play-in Round#17 Buffalo Bulls3–4#16 Colorado BuffaloesWCHLPlay-in Round#15 Niagara Purple Eagles7–2#18 Robert Morris ColonialsCHMAFirst Round1–4#3 Central Oklahoma BronchosWCHL2016Play-in Round#18 Syracuse Orange5–3#15 Illinois Fighting IlliniCSCHLFirst Round2–3#3 Stony Brook SeawolvesESCHL2017Play-in Round#18 Syracuse Orange3–4#15 Midland WarriorsIndependent2018Play-in Round#19 Buffalo Bulls1–8#14 Davenport PanthersGLCHL2019Play-in Round#19 Buffalo Bulls1–4#14 Missouri State Ice BearsWCHL2020Play-in Round#20 Niagara Purple EaglesCXL#13 Central Oklahoma BronchosWCHL2021First Round#14 Canisius Golden Griffins0–10#3 Lindenwood LionsCSCHL2022Play-in Round#18 Niagara Purple Eagles3–7#15 Ohio BobcatsCSCHL2023Play-in Round#20 Buffalo Bulls3–8#13 Grand Valley State LakersGLCHL2024First Round#24 Oswego Lakers4–1#9 Niagara Purple EaglesESCHLRound of 16#24 Oswego Lakers3–4 (OT)#8 Ohio University BobcatsIndependent2025First Round#20 Oswego Lakers3–2 (OT)#13 Indiana Tech WarriorsWHACRound of 16#20 Oswego Lakers3–6#4 Liberty FlamesIndependent
NECHL team tournament records Teams that no longer participate in the Northeast Collegiate Hockey League are in italics. NamePWLOTLGSGA%WOswego State LakersPenn State BerksRutgers Scarlet KnightsNiagara Purple EaglesSyracuse OrangeBuffalo BullsCanisius Golden Griffins
Notes
References
External links NECHL site
See also American Collegiate Hockey Association List of ice hockey leagues