Western Collegiate Hockey Association

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) is a group of colleges and universities in the Midwestern United States that play NCAA Division I women's ice hockey against one another every season. The champion is automatically invited to the NCAA Division I women's hockey tournament. When the WCHA ran a men's league, the men's champion was also automatically invited to the Division I men's tournament.

Founded in 1951 as a men's hockey league, the WCHA added a women's division in the 1999–2000 season. The league would expand far beyond its traditional Midwestern base, adding teams in Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, and Indiana at different times. The WCHA shut down its men's division after the 2020–21 season when seven of its 10 members left to start a new Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

Today, eight schools are members of the now women-only WCHA.

 Current members 
 Institution Location Founded Joined Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Main conference Bemidji State University Bemidji, Minnesota 1919 1999 (women) Public 5,198 Beavers Northern Sun (D-II)  Minneapolis & Saint Paul, Minnesota 1851 1999 (women) 51,848 Golden Gophers Big Ten  Duluth, Minnesota 1947 1999 (women) 11,168 Bulldogs Northern Sun (D-II) Minnesota State University, Mankato Mankato, Minnesota 1867 1999 14,712 Mavericks Northern Sun (D-II) Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio 1870 1999 59,837 Buckeyes Big Ten   1869 1999 (women) 14,615 Huskies Northern Sun (D-II)  Saint Paul, Minnesota 1885 2021 Private 9,878 Tommies Summit League  Madison, Wisconsin 1848 1999 (women) Public 43,820 Badgers Big Ten

 Former members 
 Final men's members 
Ten schools were members of the WCHA men's league in its final season.
 Institution Location Founded Joined Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Main conference Current hockeyconference  Huntsville, Alabama 1950 2013 Public 9,736 Chargers Gulf South (D-II)    Anchorage, Alaska 1977 1993 15,819 Seawolves Great Northwest (D-II) Independent  Fairbanks, Alaska 1917 2013 7,744 Nanooks Great Northwest (D-II) Independent  Bemidji, Minnesota 1919 2010 (men) 5,198 Beavers Northern Sun (D-II) CCHA   Bowling Green, Ohio 1910 2013 17,357 Falcons MAC CCHA   Big Rapids, Michigan 1884 2013 13,798 Bulldogs GLIAC (D-II) CCHA   Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan 1946 2013 1,963 Lakers GLIAC (D-II) CCHA  Houghton, Michigan 1885 1951–19811984 7,319 Huskies GLIAC (D-II) CCHA  Mankato, Minnesota 1867 1999 14,712 Mavericks Northern Sun  (D-II) CCHA Northern Michigan University Marquette, Michigan 1899 1984–19972013 7,612 Wildcats GLIAC (D-II) CCHA

 Other former men's members 
 Institution Location Joined Left Nickname Next hockeyconference Current hockeyconference Colorado College Colorado Springs, Colorado 1951 2013 Tigers NCHC Denver, Colorado 1951 2013 Pioneers NCHC  Ann Arbor, Michigan 1951 1981 Wolverines CCHA Big Ten Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan 1951 1981 Spartans CCHA Big Ten  Minneapolis & Saint Paul, Minnesota 1951 2013 Golden Gophers Big Ten  Duluth, Minnesota 1966 2013 Bulldogs NCHC  Omaha, Nebraska 2010 2013 Mavericks NCHC  Grand Forks, North Dakota 1951 2013 Fighting Sioux NCHC  Notre Dame, Indiana 1971 1981 Fighting Irish CCHA Big Ten   1990 2013 Huskies NCHC  Madison, Wisconsin 1969 2013 Badgers Big Ten

 Former women's member 
 Institution Location Joined Left Nickname Next hockeyconference Current hockeyconference  Grand Forks, North Dakota 2004 2017 Fighting Hawks 

References