Established in 1991, the Eastern Collegiate Hockey Association is a hockey-only college athletic conference whose members are East Coast schools. The ECHA is part of the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 1.
League Format ECHA members play each conference opponent twice, once at home and once away, with some flexibility for opponents with longer travel times. 3 points are awarded for a regulation win, 2 points are awarded for an overtime or shootout win, and 1 points is awarded for an overtime or shootout loss. Teams also play non-league games against other ACHA member schools. At the conclusion of the regular season in February the league holds a championship tournament, which is a single elimination with teams seeded based on the regular season standings. At the conclusion of the ECHA championship tournament, the ECHA regular season champions receive an automatic bid to the ACHA Men's Division I National Tournament. The ECHA tournament champion is awarded the A.J. Ruth Memorial Cup.
League History The ECHA is currently composed of eleven member institutions: George Mason, Villanova, Temple, William Paterson, The United States Naval Academy, Towson, Lehigh, West Chester, New York, Drexel, and Rhode Island. The 2012/2013, 2013/2014, and 2015/2016 regular season titles were won by Navy; they also won the postseason tournament in 2013.
Previous members include Lebanon Valley College who ended ECHA competition with the 2012 season. In the 2014/2015 season the University of Scranton folded their hockey program bringing the current number of members to 6. Also in 2014/2015 Drexel won its fifth ECHA tournament championship 10–3 against Towson, while Villanova won the regular season title. Drexel goalie Zach Kanter was named ECHA tournament MVP in 2015. In effort to maintain the conferences automatic bid to the National Championship Tournament, the ECHA welcomed Temple University beginning in 2015/2016. That same year the Naval Academy took home the regular season championship.
For the 2024-25 season, the ECHA announced that it would be adding NYU and would expand conference play to 16 games. 2024-25 also introduced a new playoff structure, with each team now making the playoffs in a 9-team single elimination tournament spanning across 2 weekends.
For the 2025-26 season, it was announced that following the dissolution of the ESCHL, the ECHA would be adding Rhode Island to the conference and would also welcome back Drexel, who previously played in the conference before leaving for the ESCHL prior to the 2021-22 season. Despite these new teams being added, the conference play schedule would remain the same, with each team playing each other twice for a minimum of 20 conference games.
ECHA Championship History YearRegular season championTournament champion1994-1995DelawareTowson (State)1995-1996Towson (State)1999-2000Towson2000-2001Drexel2001-2002Rhode Island2002-2003Towson2004-2005Drexel2011-12DrexelDrexel2012-13NavyTowson2013-14NavyNavy2014-15VillanovaDrexel2015-16NavyNavy2016-17DrexelDrexel2017-18DrexelDrexel2018-19DrexelWest Chester2019-20DrexelDrexel2020-21DID NOT PLAYDID NOT PLAY2021-22NavyNavy2022-23NavyWest Chester2023-24West ChesterLehigh2024-25West ChesterWest Chester2025-26Rhode IslandDrexel
Member Institutions SchoolLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknamePrimary conferenceDrexel UniversityPhiladelphia, PA1891Private/Non-sectarian22,100DragonsCoastal Athletic Association (D-I)George Mason UniversityFairfax, VA1949Public26,515PatriotsAtlantic Ten Conference (D-I)Lehigh UniversityBethlehem, PA1865Private/Non-sectarian6,956Mountain HawksPatriot League (D-I)New York UniversityNew York City, NY1832Private59,144VioletsUniversity Athletic Association (D-III)Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PA1884Public37,788OwlsAmerican Athletic Conference (D-I)Towson UniversityTowson, MD1866Public19,758TigersCoastal Athletic Association (D-I)United States Naval AcademyAnnapolis, MD1845Public/Federal4,000MidshipmenPatriot League (D-I)University of Rhode IslandKingston, RI1892Public17,800RamsAtlantic 10 Conference (D-I)Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA1842Private/Catholic9,535WildcatsBig East Conference (D-I)West Chester UniversityWest Chester, PA1871Public14,712Golden RamsPennsylvania State Athletic Conference (D-II)William Paterson UniversityWayne, NJ1855Public5,298PioneersNew Jersey Athletic Conference (D-III)
Conference arenas SchoolHockey ArenaLocationCapacityDrexelClass of 1923 ArenaPhiladelphia, PA2,500George MasonPrince William Ice CenterDale City, VAN/ALehighSteel Ice CenterBethlehem, PA1,000United States Naval AcademyMcMullen Hockey ArenaAnnapolis, MD1,000 (expandable to 3,000)William PatersonIce Vault ArenaWayne, NJ600Rhode IslandBradford R. Boss ArenaKingston, RI2500Towson Ice WorldAbingdon, MD1,000Villanova Hatfield Ice WorldHatfield, PAN/ATemple Northeast Skate ZonePhiladelphia, PAN/AWest ChesterIce LineWest Chester, PA500NYUSky Rink at Chelsea PiersNew York City, NYN/A
Former members SchoolLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameLast year competed in ECHACurrent ConferencePenn State BerksSpring Township, PA1958Public2,800Nittany Lions2020CSCHC (ACHA D2)University of ScrantonScranton, PA1888Private6,034Royals2013CSCHC (ACHA D2)Lebanon Valley CollegeAnnville, PA1866Private1,600Flying Dutchmen2012ESCHLRutgers UniversityNew Brunswick, NJ1766Public65,000Scarlet Knights 2007NECHLWest Virginia UniversityMorgantown, WV1867Public29,466Mountaineers2006CHMADuquesne UniversityPittsburgh, PA1878Public10,364Dukes2006CHMA
Past Seasons
2025-26 Season
Conference Tournament
Regular season standings +Team NameGPWOTWOTLLPTSRhode Island201610350West Chester201511348Villanova201332247Drexel201114439George Mason19*902829Navy20732829NYU20722927Lehigh19*6111121William Paterson19*4121216Towson19*2201510Temple20210178
* Lehigh @ Towson and William Paterson @ George Mason were postponed for weather. These were ultimately not played as they would have had no effect on the standings.
2024-25 Season
Conference Tournament
Regular season standings +Team NameGPWOTWOTLLPTSWest Chester*161300339Villanova161211239Navy161200436George Mason161021335Lehigh16611821Temple165011016William Paterson164011113NYU163101211Towson16111136
*West Chester received first seed and bid to nationals due to tiebreaker on regulation wins.
See also American Collegiate Hockey Association List of ice hockey leagues
References
External links Official ECHA Site