The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA’s Division I as a hockey-only conference.

At the conclusion of the 2006 season, WCHA teams had won five consecutive NCAA men’s titles (as well as seven of the last ten) and all six women’s titles (the first was contested in 2001). The 2005 NCAA Frozen Four hockey tournament finals were comprised entirely of teams from the WCHA.

The WCHA was founded as the Midwest Collegiate Hockey League (MCHL) from 1951-53, then became the Western Intercollegiate Hockey League (WIHL) from 1953-58, and ultimately on to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in 1959. The regular season conference champion is awarded the MacNaughton Cup, while the league’s tournament champion takes home the Broadmoor Trophy.

Members

The WCHA has 12 member schools in all; the men’s division operates with 10 members, while the women’s division has eight.

Institution  

Location  

Founded  

Joined  

Affiliation  

Enrollment  

Nickname  

NCAA Men’s

 

 

Championships  

NCAA Women’s

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Championships  

Primary Conference 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

University of Alaska Anchorage

Anchorage, Alaska

1977

1993

Public

18,000

Seawolves

0

N/A

Great Northwest (D-II)

Bemidji State University

Bemidji, Minnesota

1919

1999

Public

4,800

Beavers

Plays in CHA

0

Northern Sun (D-II)

Colorado College

Colorado Springs, Colorado

1874

1951

Private

1,950

Tigers

2

N/A

SCAC (D-III)

University of Denver

Denver, Colorado

1864

1951

Private

9,500

Pioneers

7

N/A

Sun Belt

Michigan Technological University

Houghton, Michigan

1885

1951

 

 

 

 

 

 

(CCHA, 1981-84)

Public

6,460

Huskies

3

N/A

GLIAC (D-II)

 

 

 

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota

1851

1951

Public

51,194

Golden Gophers

5

2

Big Ten

University of Minnesota Duluth

Duluth, Minnesota

1947

1966

Public

10,500

Bulldogs

0

3

North Central (D-II)

Minnesota State University, Mankato

Mankato, Minnesota

1868

1999

Public

14,000

Mavericks

0

0

North Central (D-II)

University of North Dakota

Grand Forks, North Dakota

1883

1951

Public

13,000

Fighting Sioux

7

0

North Central (D-II)

Ohio State University

Columbus, Ohio

1870

1999

Public

51,818

Buckeyes

Plays in CCHA

0

Big Ten

St. Cloud State University

St. Cloud, Minnesota

1869

1990

Public

14,252

Huskies

0

0

North Central (D-II)

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Madison, Wisconsin

1848

1969

Public

41,169

Badgers

6

2

Big Ten

 

Former Members

Institution  

Location  

Founded  

Tenure of

 

 

 

 

 

 

Membership  

Affiliation  

Enrollment  

Nickname  

Teams  

NCAA

 

 

 

 

Championships

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(men’s) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

University of Michigan

Ann Arbor, Michigan

1817

1951-1981

Public

40,025

Wolverines

Men’s

9 (5)†

 

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

1855

1951-1981

Public

45,166

Spartans

Men’s

3 (1)†

 

Northern Michigan University

Marquette, Michigan

1899

1984-1997

Public

9,000

Wildcats

Men’s

1 (1)†

 

University of Notre Dame

South Bend, Indiana

1842

1971-1981

Private

10,311

Fighting Irish

Men’s

0 (0)†

 

 

    * All former members of the WCHA are current members of the CCHA.

† Number of NCAA championships won while WCHA member.

Conference arenas

School  

Hockey Arena  

Capacity 

Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves

Sullivan Arena

6,406

Bemidji State Beavers

John S. Glas Field House

2,399

Colorado College Tigers

World Arena

7,343

Denver Pioneers

Magness Arena

6,026

Michigan Tech Huskies

John MacInnes Ice Arena

4,200

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Mariucci Arena (men)

10,000

   “     “

Ridder Arena (women)

3,400

Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs

Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC)

5,333

Minnesota State Mavericks

Alltel Center

4,832

North Dakota Fighing Sioux

Ralph Engelstad Arena

11,406

Ohio State Buckeyes

OSU Ice Arena

1,415

St. Cloud State Huskies

National Hockey Center

5,763

Wisconsin Badgers

Kohl Center

15,237

 


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