# Eastern Collegiate Women's Hockey League

The Eastern Collegiate Women's Hockey League (ECWHL) is an American Collegiate Hockey Association Women's Division 1 club level hockey-only college athletic conference for women's hockey teams. It is one of four ACHA Women's Division 1 conferences, along with the Central Collegiate Women's Hockey Association, the Western Women's Collegiate Hockey League, and Women's Midwest College Hockey. Primarily, the league has been concentrated in New England and Upstate and Western New York, with eleven of its thirteen members over fourteen seasons based in those areas.
The University of Rhode Island has been the ECWHL's most successful program in conference play, winning nine playoff championships and nine regular season championships in 17 years. URI and Massachusetts are the only two founding members that have remained in the ECWHL throughout its entire existence, and both have frequently qualified for the ACHA's National Tournament - 12 and 15 times, respectively, while in the ECWHL. However, former member Northeastern University owns the league's sole ACHA National Championship, as the Huskies defeated the University of Minnesota in the final to win in 2011–12.

## Current membership

| Institution | Location | Nickname | Founded | Type | Enrollment | Colors | Primary Facility |
| University of Massachusetts | Amherst, Massachusetts | Minutemen | 1863 | Public | 30,593 | Maroon and White | William D. Mullins Memorial Center |
| Pennsylvania State University | University Park, Pennsylvania | Nittany Lions | 1855 | Public/State-Related | 46,723 | Blue and White | Pegula Ice Arena |
| University of Rhode Island | Kingston, Rhode Island | Rams | 1892 | Public | 17,064 | Keaney Blue, Dark Blue and White | Bradford R. Boss Arena |

### Former members

* Boston University (2003–2005)
* University at Buffalo (2003–2008, 2009–2014)
* Bates College (2004–2007)
* Norwich University (2005–2007)
* North Country Community College (2005–2007)
* University of Connecticut (2006–2009)
* State University of New York at Canton (2012–2013)
* United States Naval Academy (2014–2015)
* University of Vermont (2011–2017)
* Northeastern University (2010–2017)
Notably, four ECWHL members have left the league in order to transition to NCAA varsity status. These alumni programs include Boston University and Penn State in NCAA Division I and Norwich and Canton in NCAA Division III. Penn State re-entered the ECWHL in 2014 with a separate ACHA Division 1 program. Buffalo, Connecticut, Navy, Vermont and Northeastern all departed while dropping to the ACHA's Division 2, where each remains today. Bates presently competes in the non-ACHA division of the Independent Women's Collegiate Hockey League. NCCC left for a non-ACHA conference, the Northeast Women's College Hockey Association, but has since ceased operations.

### Membership timeline
## Playoff championship game results

Beginning with the 2006 playoffs, the previous season's champion serves as the host.
| Year | Champion | Score | Runner-Up | Location |
| 2004 | Rhode Island | 9–2 | Massachusetts | Kingston, Rhode Island |
| 2005 | Rhode Island | 5–4 (OT) | Massachusetts | Amherst, Massachusetts |
| 2006 | Rhode Island | 4–2 | Massachusetts | Kingston, Rhode Island |
| 2007 | Rhode Island | 4–1 | Norwich | Kingston, Rhode Island |
| 2008 | Rhode Island | 5–4 (3OT) | Massachusetts | Kingston, Rhode Island |
| 2009 | Rhode Island | 4–1 | Massachusetts | Kingston, Rhode Island |
| 2010 | Rhode Island | | | Kingston, Rhode Island |
| 2011 | Northeastern | 6–5 | Rhode Island | Kingston, Rhode Island |
| 2012 | Rhode Island | 4–1 | Penn State | Boston, Massachusetts |
| 2013 | Massachusetts | 2–1 | Northeastern | Kingston, Rhode Island |
| 2014 | Rhode Island | 2–0 | Massachusetts | Amherst, Massachusetts |
| 2015 | Massachusetts | 7–2 | Rhode Island | Kingston, Rhode Island |
| 2016 | Massachusetts | 4–3 | Rhode Island | Amherst, Massachusetts |
| 2017 | Massachusetts | 3–0 | Rhode Island | Amherst, Massachusetts |
| 2018 | Playoff not held $^†$ | Playoff not held $^†$ | Playoff not held $^†$ | Playoff not held $^†$ |
| 2019 | Playoff not held $^†$ | Playoff not held $^†$ | Playoff not held $^†$ | Playoff not held $^†$ |
| 2020 | Playoff not held $^†$ | Playoff not held $^†$ | Playoff not held $^†$ | Playoff not held $^†$ |
$^†$ Due to the small number of teams in the conference, the ECWHL's regular season winner was named its sole champion, by mutual agreement of the membership and the commissioner

### Regular season champions

* 2003–04 Rhode Island
* 2004–05 Rhode Island
* 2005–06 Rhode Island
* 2006–07 Rhode Island
* 2007–08 Rhode Island
* 2008–09 Massachusetts
* 2009–10 Rhode Island
* 2010–11 Northeastern
* 2011–12 Penn State
* 2012–13 Massachusetts
* 2013–14 Rhode Island
* 2014–15 Massachusetts
* 2015–16 Rhode Island
* 2016–17 Massachusetts
* 2017–18 Rhode Island
* 2018–19 Massachusetts
* 2019–20 Massachusetts

## ACHA National Tournament appearances

Appearances made while an ECWHL member. Former conference members are in italics.
| School | Appearances | Years | Championships |
| Massachusetts | 15 | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 | None |
| Rhode Island | 12 | 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 | None |
| Penn State | 4 | 2004, 2007, 2010, 2015 | None |
| Northeastern | 3 | 2011, 2012, 2013 | 2012 |
| Buffalo | 1 | 2005 | None |
| Connecticut | 1 | 2007 | None |
| Norwich | 1 | 2007 | None |

## World University Games selections

Since 2011, the American Collegiate Hockey Association has supplied players for the United States team at the World University Games women's hockey tournament, held biennially and as part of the multi-sport event for college and university student-athletes.
| Year | Location | Player | School | Result |
| 2011 | Erzurum, Turkey | Mo Stroemel (head coach) | Penn State | Fourth Place |
| 2011 | Erzurum, Turkey | Justine Ducie | Rhode Island | Fourth Place |
| 2011 | Erzurum, Turkey | Lindsay Reihl | Penn State | Fourth Place |
| 2011 | Erzurum, Turkey | Denise Rohlik | Penn State | Fourth Place |
| 2011 | Erzurum, Turkey | Heather Rossi | Penn State | Fourth Place |
| 2011 | Erzurum, Turkey | Katie Vaughan | Penn State | Fourth Place |
| 2011 | Erzurum, Turkey | Megan Winters | Northeastern | Fourth Place |
| 2013 | Trentino, Italy | Amanda Abromson | Massachusetts | Bronze Medal |
| 2013 | Trentino, Italy | Cassie Catlow | Rhode Island | Bronze Medal |
| 2013 | Trentino, Italy | Chelsea Corell | Massachusetts | Bronze Medal |
| 2013 | Trentino, Italy | Alisha DiFilippo | Rhode Island | Bronze Medal |
| 2013 | Trentino, Italy | Paige Harrington | Massachusetts | Bronze Medal |
| 2013 | Trentino, Italy | Lauren Hillberg | Rhode Island | Bronze Medal |
| 2013 | Trentino, Italy | Caleigh LaBossiere | Massachusetts | Bronze Medal |
| 2013 | Trentino, Italy | Sarah Oteri | Massachusetts | Bronze Medal |
| 2015 | Granada, Spain | Amanda Abromson | Massachusetts | Fifth Place |
| 2015 | Granada, Spain | Vicki Bortolussi | Massachusetts | Fifth Place |
| 2015 | Granada, Spain | Cassie Catlow | Rhode Island | Fifth Place |
| 2015 | Granada, Spain | Emily Ford | Vermont | Fifth Place |
| 2015 | Granada, Spain | Paige Harrington | Massachusetts | Fifth Place |
| 2015 | Granada, Spain | Caleigh LaBossiere | Massachusetts | Fifth Place |
| 2015 | Granada, Spain | Kristen Levesque | Rhode Island | Fifth Place |
| 2015 | Granada, Spain | Madison Smiddy | Penn State | Fifth Place |
| 2017 | Almaty, Kazakhstan | Cassie Dunne | Penn State | Bronze Medal |
| 2017 | Almaty, Kazakhstan | Amber Greene | Massachusetts | Bronze Medal |
| 2017 | Almaty, Kazakhstan | Brittani Lanzilli | Massachusetts | Bronze Medal |

## Notable ACHA award winners

| Year | Winner | School | Award |
| 2004–05 | Beth McCann | Rhode Island | Coach of the Year |
| 2007–08 | Beth McCann | Rhode Island | Coach of the Year |
| 2008–09 | Maura Grainger | Massachusetts | Zoë M. Harris Player of the Year |
| 2009–10 | Hayley Kuhn | Massachusetts | Off-Ice Most Valuable Player |
| 2010–11 | Nick Carpenito | Northeastern | Coach of the Year |
| 2010–11 | Danika Korpacz | Rhode Island | Off-Ice Most Valuable Player |
| 2010–11 | Sara Chroman | Penn State | Community Playmaker |
| 2011–12 | Chelsea Dietz | Northeastern | ACHA Tournament MVP |
| 2011–12 | Sam Gouin | Massachusetts | Off-Ice Most Valuable Player |
| 2012–13 | Cassie Catlow | Rhode Island | Zoë M. Harris Player of the Year |
| 2013–14 | Stephanie Hyde | Canton | Community Playmaker |
| 2013–14 | Sam Gouin | Massachusetts | Community Playmaker |
| 2015–16 | Brittani Lanzilli | Massachusetts | Zoë M. Harris Player of the Year |
| 2016–17 | Kelly Watson | Penn State | Community Playmaker |
| 2016–17 | Rhode Island | Rhode Island | Team Community Service Award |
| 2019–20 | Bill Wright | Massachusetts | Coach of the Year |