NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey

NCAA Division III women's ice hockey is a college ice hockey competition governed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as part of the NCAA Division III (DIII or D3). Sixty-seven teams competed in NCAA Division III women’s hockey across eight conferences in the 2019–20 season.
==Conferences==
Conference affiliations and the conferences themselves experienced numerous changes in the later part of the 2010s. The most substantial alterations occurred with the founding of the Colonial Hockey Conference (CHC) in 2015 and the folding of ECAC West in 2017, which precipitated the creation of the Northeast Women's Hockey League (NEWHL) in the same year. The conferences and affiliations presented below are accurate through the 2019–20 season. The Commonwealth Coast Conference which is the all-sport home to most of the membership of the CHC. With seven women's teams from the CCC and 
A conference with seven or more affiliated programs automatically qualifies for the NCAA D-III Women's Ice Hockey Tournament. In practice, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) will be the only conference that does not qualify to receive an automatic bid for the tournament as of the 2021-22 playing season.
=== Independent Teams ===
The Anna Maria Amcats women's ice hockey program of Anna Maria College in Paxton, Massachusetts has participated in the NCAA Division III as an independent team (ie. without conference affiliation) since the 2018–19 season. 
On the heels of Becker College announcing that they were closing, Worcester State University announced the addition of a women's ice hockey team to begin play with the 2021-22 season. Ironically, the team will be based out of the same arena and have the former Becker College women's head coach as their first head coach. The new program has yet to announce a conference affiliation as of mid-April 2021 with plans for applying for conference membership to begin in a timely manner.
=== Commonwealth Coast Conference ===
The Commonwealth Coast Conference (previously CHC; and prior to that ECAC North Atlantic) is a women's ice hockey-only conference which operates in New England. As of the 2019–20 season, there are five member programs and by 2021-22 there will be seven full members of the CCC which sponsor women's ice hockey and making the conference eligible for an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey Tournament after the standard two year waiting period (the lack of a tournament in 2021 and the conference being a continuation of the CHC makes it uncertain if there will be any waiting period for an automatic bid):
* Becker College (Hawks) – Worcester, Massachusetts (College ceasing operations after 2020-21 academic year)
* Curry College (Colonels) - Milton, Massachusetts (joining for 2021-22 playing season as new program)
* Endicott College (Gulls) – Beverly, Massachusetts
* Nichols College (Bison) – Dudley, Massachusetts
* Salve Regina University (Seahawks) – Newport, Rhode Island
* Suffolk University (Rams) - Boston, Massachusetts
* University of New England (Nor'easters) – Biddeford, Maine
* Western New England University (Golden Bears) - Springfield, Massachusetts (joining for 2020-21 as new program)
=== Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference ===
The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) is a college athletic conference located in Minnesota. The women's ice hockey programs that compete in the MIAC include:
* Augsburg College (Auggies) – Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Bethel University (Royals) – St. Paul, Minnesota
* College of Saint Benedict (Bennies) – St. Joseph, Minnesota
* Concordia College (Cobbers) – Moorhead, Minnesota
* Gustavus Adolphus College (Gusties) – St. Peter, Minnesota
* Hamline University (Pipers) – St. Paul, Minnesota
* St. Mary's University (Cardinals) – Winona, Minnesota
* St. Catherine University (Wildcats) – St. Paul, Minnesota
* St. Olaf College (Oles) – Northfield, Minnesota
* University of St. Thomas (Tommies) – St. Paul, Minnesota
St. Thomas will leave the MIAC after the 2020–21 school year and move to the NCAA Division I, joining the Summit League for most sports and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WHCA) in women's ice hockey.
=== New England Hockey Conference ===
The New England Hockey Conference (NEHC; previously ECAC East) is an ice hockey-only conference which operates in New England. As of the 2019–20 season, there are nine member programs in the women's division: 
* Castleton University (Spartans) – Castleton, Vermont
* Johnson and Wales University (Wildcats) – Providence, Rhode Island
* New England College (Pilgrims) – Henniker, New Hampshire
* Norwich University (Cadets) – Northfield, Vermont
* Plymouth State University (Panthers) – Plymouth, New Hampshire
* Salem State University (Vikings) – Salem, Massachusetts
* Suffolk University (Rams) – Boston, Massachusetts
* University of Massachusetts Boston (Beacons) – Boston, Massachusetts
* University of Southern Maine (Huskies) – Gorham, Maine
=== New England Small College Athletic Conference ===
The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) is a college athletic conference of liberal arts colleges and universities located in New England and New York. The member schools of the NESCAC are often referred to as the “Little Ivies.” The women's ice hockey programs competing in the NESCAC are:
* Amherst College (Mammoths) – Amherst, Massachusetts
* Bowdoin College (Polar Bears) – Brunswick, Maine
* Colby College (Mules) – Waterville, Maine
* Connecticut College (Camels) – New London, Connecticut
* Hamilton College (Continentals) – Clinton, New York
* Middlebury College (Panthers) – Middlebury, Vermont
* Trinity College (Bantams) – Hartford, Connecticut
* Wesleyan College (Cardinals) – Middletown, Connecticut
* Williams College (Ephs) – Williamstown, Massachusetts
=== Northeast Women's Hockey League ===
The Northeast Women's Hockey League (NEWHL; successor of ECAC West) is a women's ice hockey-only conference comprising seven member schools in New York. It was founded in 2017 by the women's ice hockey teams of five schools in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC); it’s membership was increased to seven programs in 2019–20. The programs competing in the NEWHL are:
* Buffalo State College (Bengals) – Buffalo, New York
* Morrisville University (Mustangs) – Morrisville, New York
* State University of New York at Canton (Roos) – Canton, New York
* State University of New York at Cortland (Red Dragons) – Cortland, New York
* State University of New York at Oswego (Lakers) – Oswego, New York
* State University of New York at Plattsburgh (Cardinals) – Plattsburgh, New York
* State University of New York at Potsdam (Bears) – Potsdam, New York
=== Northern Collegiate Hockey Association ===
The Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) is a hockey-only conference, which operates in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The women's programs competing in the NCHA are:
* Adrian College (Bulldogs) – Adrian, Michigan
* Aurora University (Spartans) – Aurora, Illinois
* College of St. Scholastica (Saints) – Duluth, Minnesota
* Concordia University Wisconsin (Falcons) – Mequon, Wisconsin
* Finlandia University (Lions) – Hancock, Michigan
* Lake Forest College (Foresters) – Lake Forest, Illinois
* Marian University (Sabres) – Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
* St. Norbert College (Green Knights) – De Pere, Wisconsin
* Trine University (Thunder) – Angola, Indiana
St. Scholastica will leave the NCHA after the 2020–21 school year to join the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC).
=== United Collegiate Hockey Conference ===
The United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) is a hockey-only conference which operates in the Mid-Atlantic region. The women's programs competing in the UCHC are:
* Alvernia University (Golden Wolves) – Reading, Pennsylvania
* Chatham University (Cougars) – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* Elmira College (Soaring Eagles) – Elmira, New York
* King's College (Monarchs) – Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
* Lebanon Valley College (Flying Dutchman) – Annville, Pennsylvania
* Manhattanville College (Valiants) – Purchase, New York
* Nazareth College (Golden Flyers) – Rochester, New York
* Neumann University (Knights) – Aston, Pennsylvania
* Stevenson University (Mustangs) – Stevenson, Maryland
* Utica College (Pioneers) – Utica, New York
* Wilkes University (Colonels) – Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
* William Smith College (Herons) – Geneva, New York
=== Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference ===
The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) is a collegiate athletics conference in Wisconsin, primarily comprising institutions in the University of Wisconsin System. The women's ice hockey programs participating in the WIAC are:
* Northland College (LumberJills) – Ashland, Wisconsin
* University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire (Bluegolds) – Eau Claire, Wisconsin
* University of Wisconsin–River Falls (Falcons) – River Falls, Wisconsin
* University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point (Pointers) – Stevens Point, Wisconsin
* University of Wisconsin–Superior (Yellowjackets) – Superior, Wisconsin
== List of champions ==
Year	Champion 	Score 	Runner-up
2002	Elmira 	2–1 	Manhattanville
2003	Elmira 	5–1 	Manhattanville
2004	Middlebury 	2–1 	UW-Stevens Point
2005	Middlebury 	4–3 	Elmira
2006	Middlebury 	3–1 	Plattsburgh
2007	Plattsburgh 	2–1 	Middlebury
2008	Plattsburgh 	3–2 	Manhattanville
2009	Amherst 	4–3 (OT) 	Elmira
2010	Amherst 	7–2 	Norwich
2011	Norwich 	5–2 	RIT
2012	RIT 	4–1 	Norwich
2013	Elmira 	1–0 	Middlebury
2014	Plattsburgh 	9–2 	Norwich
2015	Plattsburgh 	3–2 	Elmira
2016	Plattsburgh 	5–1 	UW–River Falls
2017	Plattsburgh 	4–3 (OT) 	Adrian
2018	Norwich 	2–1 	Elmira
2019	Plattsburgh 	4–0 	Hamline
2020	Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic	Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic	Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic
2021	Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic	Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic	Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic
==Laura Hurd Award==
The Laura Hurd Award is an annual award given to the top player in NCAA Division III Women's Ice Hockey as awarded by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA). Since 2007, it has been named after Laura Hurd, a stand-out player for Elmira College who was killed in a car accident. Previously, it was known as the Division III Women’s Player of the Year Award.
===Award winners===
Year	Winner 	Pos. 	School
2000	Sylvia Ryan 	F 	Middlebury College
2001	Michelle Labbe 	F 	Middlebury College
2002	Sarah Moe 	F 	Gustavus Adolphus College
2003	Angela Kapus 	F/D 	Middlebury College
2004	Molly Wasserman 	F 	Williams College
2005	Laura Hurd 	F 	Elmira College
2006	Emily Quizon 	F 	Middlebury College
2007	Andrea Peterson 	D 	Gustavus Adolphus College
2008	Danielle Blanchard 	F 	SUNY Plattsburgh
2009	Kayla Coady 	F 	Elmira College
2010	Isabel Iwachiw 	G 	Trinity College
2011	Sarah Dagg 	F 	Rochester Institute of Technology
2012	Julie Fortier 	F 	Norwich University
2013	Teal Gove 	F 	SUNY Plattsburgh
2014	Sydney Aveson 	G 	SUNY Plattsburgh
2015	Ashley Ryan 	F 	Elmira College
2016	Michelle Greeneway 	F 	Lake Forest College
2017	Dani Sibley 	F 	UW-River Falls
2018	Melissa Sheeran 	F 	SUNY Plattsburgh
2019	Bre Simon 	F 	Hamline University
2020	Amanda Conway 	F 	Norwich University
2021	Not Presented due to many teams cancelling season due to COVID-19 pandemic	Not Presented due to many teams cancelling season due to COVID-19 pandemic	Not Presented due to many teams cancelling season due to COVID-19 pandemic
== See also==
*NCAA Division I Women's Hockey conferences and teams
*National Collegiate women's ice hockey championship
*Women's Hockey Coaches with 250 wins
*Title IX
==References==
==External links==
* NCAA Division III women ice hockey page
 
 
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