Atlantic Hockey America

Atlantic Hockey America (AHA) is a college ice hockey conference with most of its members in the northeastern United States. It plays in NCAA Division I as an ice hockey-only conference. AHA was formed shortly after the 2023–24 season by the merger of the men-only Atlantic Hockey Association (the Association) and the women-only College Hockey America (CHA).

 History 
The Association first formed in 1997 as the men's hockey league of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and became separate in 2003. In the meantime, CHA had formed in 1999 as a men's conference and added a women's division in 2002. After the 2009–10 season, the men's side of CHA folded, with two of the remaining teams joining the Association. At that time, the two conferences began sharing an office staff with a single commissioner. By 2023, the Association and CHA decided to fully merge.

 Membership 
Three AHA members have teams in both the men's and women's divisions—Mercyhurst, RIT, and Robert Morris. Holy Cross, Lindenwood, Penn State, and Sacred Heart have teams of both sexes, but house only one team in AHA. Niagara and Syracuse sponsor teams only for one sex, but used to sponsor a team for the other.

Several months after the merger was announced, CHA added a future member in Delaware, which was to add a women's hockey team in the 2025–26 season. Delaware's future membership transferred to the merged AHA.

 Current members 
Main conference affiliations are current for the 2025–26 season.

 Institution  Location  Nickname  Founded  Affiliation  Enrollment  Joined  Men's  Women's  Main conference  (Air Force)  USAF Academy, Colorado  Falcons  1954  Public/Federal  4,400  2024      Mountain West  (Army)  West Point, New York  Black Knights  1802  Public/Federal  4,400  2024      Patriot League Bentley University  Waltham, Massachusetts  Falcons  1917  Private/Nonsectarian  3,958  2024      Northeast-10 (D-II) Canisius University  Buffalo, New York  Golden Griffins  1870  Private/Catholic  3,490  2024      MAAC   Newark, Delaware  Figntin' Blue Hens  1743  Public   23,281  2025      CUSA   Worcester, Massachusetts  Crusaders  1843  Private/Catholic  2,897  2024    Hockey East  Patriot League Lindenwood University    Lions  1827  Private/Presbyterian  12,213  2024  Independent    OVC Mercyhurst University  Erie, Pennsylvania  Lakers  1926  Private/Catholic  4,055  2024      NEC Niagara University  Lewiston, New York  Purple Eagles  1856  Private/Catholic  3,853  2024      MAAC Pennsylvania State University (Penn State)  University Park, Pennsylvania  Nittany Lions  1855  Public/State-related  44,817  2024  Big Ten    Big Ten  (RIT)  Henrietta, New York  Tigers  1829  Private/Nonsectarian  16,842  2024      Liberty League (D-III) Robert Morris University  Moon Township, Pennsylvania  Colonials  1921  Private/Nonsectarian  4,005  2024      Horizon Sacred Heart University  Fairfield, Connecticut  Pioneers  1963  Private/Catholic  5,428  2024    NEWHA  MAAC Syracuse University  Syracuse, New York  Orange  1870  Private/Nonsectarian  19,082  2024       ACC

 Former members 
One member left the merged AHA after one season. American International chose to align its men's hockey program with the rest of its athletic program in NCAA Division II. Its main league, the Northeast-10 Conference, plays men's ice hockey under Division II rules and does not take part in the NCAA's combined Division I and Division II tournament.

 Institution  Location  Nickname  Founded  Affiliation  Enrollment  Joined  Left  Men's  Women's  Main conference  Current hockeyconference American International College  Springfield, Massachusetts  Yellow Jackets  1885  Private/Nonsectarian  1,700  2024  2025      Northeast-10 (D-II)

References