# Atlantic Hockey America

Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) is a college ice hockey conference which operates primarily in the northeastern United States. It participates in NCAA Division I as an ice hockey-only conference. The conference was formed by the merger of the men-only Atlantic Hockey Association and the women-only College Hockey America (CHA).

## History

In 2010, the men's division of CHA collapsed and two of the remaining teams joined the Atlantic Hockey Association. At that time, the two leagues began working together by sharing a commissioner and administrative staff in order to streamline their operating costs. The arrangement worked well enough that by 2023, the two entities decided to formalize their relationship and announced that they were merging. The new league began with the 2024–25 season and is scheduled to welcome a new women's member, Delaware, in 2025. However, the number of men's members will be reduced by one in the same year as AIC plans to drop its program to the Division II level, opting to place its hockey program in its all-sports conference of the NE-10.

## Membership

Three schools, Mercyhurst, RIT and Robert Morris, have programs in both the men's and women's divisions. Holy Cross, Lindenwood, Penn State and Sacred Heart each operate teams of both sexes, but only one is a member of AHA. Niagara and Syracuse only have one varsity program active as of 2024 but both previously supported the other gender.

### Current

Conference affiliations are current for the first season of the merged AHA in 2024–25.
 Member departing for Division II in 2025.
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Joined | Men's | Women's | Primary Conference |
| United States Air Force Academy | USAF Academy, Colorado | Falcons | 1954 | Public/Federal | 4,400 | 2024 | Y | N | Mountain West |
| American International College | Springfield, Massachusetts | Yellow Jackets | 1885 | Private/Secular | 1,700 | 2024 | Y | N | Northeast-10 (D-II) |
| United States Military Academy | West Point, New York | Black Knights | 1802 | Public/Federal | 4,400 | 2024 | Y | N | Patriot League |
| Bentley University | Waltham, Massachusetts | Falcons | 1917 | Private/Secular | 3,958 | 2024 | Y | N | Northeast-10 (D-II) |
| Canisius University | Buffalo, New York | Golden Griffins | 1870 | Private/Catholic | 3,490 | 2024 | Y | N | MAAC |
| College of the Holy Cross | Worcester, Massachusetts | Crusaders | 1843 | Private/Catholic | 2,897 | 2024 | Y | Hockey East | Patriot League |
| Lindenwood University | St. Charles, Missouri | Lions | 1827 | Private/Presbyterian | 12,213 | 2024 | Independent | Y | OVC |
| Mercyhurst University | Erie, Pennsylvania | Lakers | 1926 | Private/Catholic | 4,055 | 2024 | Y | Y | NEC |
| Niagara University | Lewiston, New York | Purple Eagles | 1856 | Private/Catholic | 3,853 | 2024 | Y | N | MAAC |
| Pennsylvania State University | University Park, Pennsylvania | Nittany Lions | 1855 | Public/State-related | 44,817 | 2024 | Big Ten | Y | Big Ten |
| Robert Morris University | Moon Township, Pennsylvania | Colonials | 1921 | Private/Secular | 4,005 | 2024 | Y | Y | Horizon |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Henrietta, New York | Tigers | 1829 | Private/Secular | 16,842 | 2024 | Y | Y | Liberty League (D-III) |
| Sacred Heart University | Fairfield, Connecticut | Pioneers | 1963 | Private/Catholic | 5,428 | 2024 | Y | NEWHA | MAAC |
| Syracuse University | Syracuse, New York | Orange | 1870 | Private/Secular | 19,082 | 2024 | N | Y | ACC |
* ↑ The Academy grounds lie almost entirely outside the Colorado Springs city limits. The U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Census Bureau respectively treat the Academy as "USAF Academy" and "Air Force Academy".
* ↑ The campus mailing address is "Niagara University".
* ↑ The entire Penn State campus is designated by the U.S. Postal Service as "University Park". It straddles the boundary between State College and College Township.

### Future

Primary conference affiliation is current for the first season of AHA play.
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Joining | Men's | Women's | Primary Conference | Colors |
| University of Delaware | Newark, Delaware | Fightin' Blue Hens | 1743 | Public | 23,281 | 2025 | N | Y | CUSA | |
* ↑ As of the date of joining AHA.
* ↑ Delaware is legally chartered as a "privately governed, state-assisted" institution. This status is broadly similar to that of New York's statutory colleges, mostly housed at Cornell University, or institutions in Pennsylvania's Commonwealth System of Higher Education.

### Timeline

Men Women Both