The Northeast Collegiate Hockey Association (NECHA) is a non-varsity (club) college ice hockey league in the Northeast region of the United States that competes with Divisions II and III of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA). Most NECHA member schools have varsity teams that are affiliated with the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) or the Hockey East Association and most teams receive at least partial funding from their school's athletic departments and/or student government.
Format The NECHA league comprises four-year post-secondary college and university teams separated into three conferences: Patriot, American, and Colonial. The Patriot and American conferences compete under Division II of the ACHA and the Colonial competes under Division III.
Each league conference consists of two divisions organized geographically by school location. Teams play a minimum of ten league games during the regular season. Following the regular season, the NECHA league hosts their annual championship playoffs for each conference with invitations to the top teams in the regular season standings.
Associate and Probationary Members are recognized teams but are not full members of the league and are not eligible for the NECHA regular season championship, the NECHA league playoffs, and do not vote on actions at official league meetings.
Current members Patriot Conference East SchoolLocationNicknamePrimary conferenceWebsiteTeam colorsBoston CollegeChestnut Hill, MAEaglesACC (DI) Boston UniversityBoston, MATerriersPatriot (DI) Bryant UniversitySmithfield, RIBulldogsNEC (DI) Merrimack CollegeNorth Andover, MAWarriorsNE10 (DII) Northeastern UniversityBoston, MAHuskiesCAA (DI) Providence CollegeProvidence, RIFriarsBig East (DI)
Patriot Conference West SchoolLocationNicknamePrimary conferenceWebsiteTeam colorsCollege of the Holy CrossWorcester, MACrusadersPatriot (DI) Keene State CollegeKeene, NHOwlsLEC (DIII) University of ConnecticutStorrs, CTHuskiesBig East (DI) UMass AmherstAmherst, MAMinutemenA10 (DI) University of VermontBurlington, VTCatamountsAEC (DI)
American Conference North SchoolLocationNicknamePrimary conferenceWebsiteTeam colorsDartmouth CollegeHanover, NHBig GreenIvy (DI) Harvard UniversityCambridge, MACrimsonIvy (DI) Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MAEngineersNEWMAC (DIII) Norwich UniversityNorthfield, VTCadetsGNAC (DIII) Saint Anselm CollegeGoffstown, NHHawksNE10 (DII) Southern New Hampshire UniversityManchester, NHPenmenNE10 (DII) UMass LowellLowell, MARiver HawksAEC (DI)
American Conference South SchoolLocationNicknamePrimary conferenceWebsiteTeam colorsBentley UniversityWaltham, MAFalconsNE10 (DII) Bridgewater State UniversityBridgewater, MABearsECAC (DIII) Connecticut CollegeNew London, CTCamelsNESCAC (DII) Eastern Connecticut State UniversityWillimantic, CTWarriorsLEC (DIII) Roger Williams UniversityBristol, RIHawksCCC (DIII) Westfield State UniversityWestfield, MAOwlsMASCAC (DIII)
Colonial Conference North SchoolLocationNicknamePrimary conferenceWebsiteTeam colorsBates CollegeLewiston, MEBobcatsNESCAC (DIII) Colby–Sawyer College CollegeNew London, NHChargersNAC (DIII) Thomas CollegeWaterville, METerriersNAC (DIII) University of New EnglandBiddeford, MENor'eastersCCC (DIII)
Colonial Conference South SchoolLocationNicknamePrimary conferenceWebsiteTeam colorsMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MAEngineersNEWMAC (DIII) Springfield CollegeSpringfield, MAPrideNEWMAC (DIII) United States Coast Guard AcademyNew London, CTBearsNEWMAC (DIII) University of Connecticut (Blue)Storrs, CTHuskiesBig East (DI) University of New HavenWest Haven, CTChargersNE10 (DII) Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcester, MAEngineersNEWMAC (DIII)
Other members NECHA Probationary Members
Saint Joseph's College of Maine
NECHA Associate Members
Gordon College Trinity College Tufts University University of Maine Wentworth Institute of Technology
Note: Boston College, Boston University, College of the Holy Cross, University of Connecticut, Harvard University, Merrimack College, Northeastern University, University of Maine, University of Massachusetts–Amherst, University of Massachusetts–Lowell and University of Vermont have NCAA varsity hockey programs at NCAA Division I level.
Saint Anselm College and Southern New Hampshire University have varsity hockey at the NCAA Division II level.
Norwich University, Trinity College, Tufts University, University of New England, and Westfield State University have varsity hockey at the NCAA Division III level.
See also American Collegiate Hockey Association List of ice hockey leagues