College Hockey East (CHE) is a collegiate ice‑hockey conference in the United States that operates at the NCAA Division III level. The conference was founded in 2015 to provide a structured competition schedule for member institutions primarily located in the New England region. It is sanctioned by the NCAA and organizes regular‑season play and postseason tournaments for its member schools’ men’s and women’s ice‑hockey programs.
History
- Formation (2015): CHE was established by a group of colleges seeking a geographically compact league to reduce travel costs and enhance regional rivalries.
- Membership changes: Since its inception, the conference has experienced several membership adjustments as institutions have joined, departed, or transitioned to other conferences.
Member institutions (representative examples, not exhaustive)
- Curry College (Milford, Massachusetts)
- Endicott College (Beverly, Massachusetts)
- Keene State College (Keene, New Hampshire)
- Plymouth State University (Plymouth, New Hampshire)
- University of New England (Biddeford, Maine)
Competition
CHE conducts regular‑season schedules in which each member team plays a balanced slate of conference opponents. At the conclusion of the regular season, the conference holds championship tournaments for both men’s and women’s teams, with the winners receiving automatic qualification bids to the NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey Championships.
Governance
The conference is overseen by an office of administrators, including a commissioner and elected representatives from member schools. Governance follows NCAA regulations and conference bylaws governing eligibility, scheduling, and officiating.
Current status
As of the most recent publicly available information (2023), College Hockey East remains active, although membership continues to evolve as institutions reassess their athletic affiliations.
Note: The information presented reflects documented aspects of College Hockey East as an NCAA Division III ice‑hockey conference. Additional details, such as a complete and up‑to‑date roster of member schools, are subject to change and may not be comprehensively captured here.
