Atlantic Hockey History

A new chapter in the history of college hockey was ushered into existence when the Atlantic Hockey Association was created on June 30, 2003, by nine charter members. The sixth Division-I men’s ice hockey conference arose when the founding members - American International, Bentley, Canisius, Connecticut, Holy Cross, Mercyhurst, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart, and the United States Military Academy (Army) - required an organization that represented their specific hockey needs.

Quinnipiac after a two-year stay in Atlantic Hockey announced on August 24, 2004 that the Bobcats would be leaving and joining the ECAC Hockey League. Four months later the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) announced their hockey program will be making the jump to Division I and will join Atlantic Hockey starting in the 2006-07 season. At the end of the 2004-05 season the Air Force Academy will also be joining Atlantic Hockey making the move from the College Hockey America conference, announcing its move on April 12, 2005. With the addition of RIT and Air Force beginning with the 2006-07 season the league increase its membership to ten (10) teams.

Last season, Holy Cross earned its second Atlantic Hockey Association Regular Season and Tournament Crowns. The Crusaders posted the first ever NCAA Tournament victory as Holy Cross defeated top-seed Minnesota, 4-3 in overtime at the West Regional in Grand Forks, N.D.

Quinnipiac earned its first Atlantic Hockey Association Regular Season crown during the 2004-05 season, but fell in the title game to Mercyhurst, as the Lakers earned the automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. Mercyhurst drew top-seeded Boston College and nearly upsetting the Eagles in the First Round of the East Regional.

The inaugural season for Atlantic Hockey showed that the conference has a bright future on the horizon. Robert DeGregorio, a former commissioner of Hockey East, was named the conference’s first commissioner and held an integral role in the development of the league as play between the nine squads began in the Fall of 2003. As the season unfolded, the fledgling conference made its mark in college hockey with victories over non-conference opponents, such as Ohio State and Western Michigan (CCHA), Rensselaer (ECAC), Merrimack (Hockey East) and Wayne State (CHA), along with an exciting chase to claim the first-ever regular season title. Holy Cross secured the league’s first regular season title, and followed up the feat by capturing the tournament championship, sending the Crusaders to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the program’s, along with the league’s, history.

Success in the classroom is as important as success on the ice among the member institutions of Atlantic Hockey as 295 student-athletes have garnered All-Academic honors by the Atlantic Hockey Association. Last season, 101 student-athletes garnered the 3.0 GPA during both the Fall and Spring semester to earn All-Academic honors. 106 student-athletes were named to the 2004-05 All-Academic squad led by Sacred Heart’s 18 student-athletes topping the league. A total of 88 student-athletes were named to the 2003-04 Atlantic Hockey All-Academic squad in recognition of their outstanding scholastic achievement. Atlantic Hockey athletes have also contributed their time off the ice to numerous charitable organizations as a way of saying thanks to their many supporters.

Currently, Atlantic Hockey spans a total of five states, reaching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Rocky Mountains. Members reside in Colorado (Air Force), Connecticut (University of Connecticut, Sacred Heart), Massachusetts (American International, Bentley, Holy Cross), New York (Army, Canisius, RIT), and Pennsylvania (Mercyhurst).

Below are the postseason results during the three-year existence of Atlantic Hockey:

2004 Atlantic Hockey Tournament at Tate Rink, West Point, N.Y. Friday, March 12 – First Round #9 American International 4, #8 Army 3	2005 Atlantic Hockey Tournament Wednesday, March 9 – First Round at #8 Army 5, #9 American International 3
Saturday, March 13 – Quarterfinals at Tate Rink, West Point, N.Y. #1 Holy Cross 5, #9 American International 0 #2 Mercyhurst 5, #7 Bentley 4 #6 Canisius 1, #3 Quinnipiac 0 (Overtime) #4 Sacred Heart 3, #5 Connecticut 0	Saturday, March 12 – Quarterfinals at #1 Quinnipiac 2, #8 Army 0 #7 Bentley 4, at #2 Canisius 2 at #3 Mercyhurst 7, #6 Connecticut 4 at #4 Holy Cross 4, #5 Sacred Heart 2
Sunday, March 14 – Semifinals at Tate Rink, West Point, N.Y. #1 Holy Cross 4, #6 Canisius 1 #4 Sacred Heart 3, #2 Mercyhurst 2	Friday, March 18 – Semifinals Northford Ice Pavilion, Northford, Conn. #1 Quinnipiac 4, #7 Bentley 1 #3 Mercyhurst 4, #4 Holy Cross 3 (Overtime)
Saturday, March 20 – Finals at Tate Rink, West Point, N.Y. #1 Holy Cross 4, #4 Sacred Heart 0	Saturday, March 19 – Finals Northford Ice Pavilion, Northford, Conn. #3 Mercyhurst 3, #1 Quinnipiac 2 (Overtime)
2004 NCAA West Regional World Arena, Colorado Springs, Colo. Friday, March 26 – First Round #1 North Dakota 3, #4 Holy Cross 0	2005 NCAA East Regional DCU Center, Worcester, Mass. Friday, March 25 #1 Boston College 5, #4 Mercyhurst 4

2006 Atlantic Hockey Tournament Saturday, March 11 - Quarterfinals at #1 Holy Cross 3, #8 American Int'l 1 at #2 Mercyhurst 7, #7 Canisius 2 #6 Connecitcut 4, at #3 Sacred Heart 1 at #4 Bentley 4, #5 Army 3 (2 OT)	2007 Atlantic Hockey Tournament Saturday, March 3 - First Round #9 American Int'l 2, at #8 Canisius 1 Saturday, March 10 - Quarterfinals at #1 Sacred Heart 4, #9 American Int'l 0 at #2 Army 6, #7 Bentley 2 at #3 Connecticut 5, #6 Mercyhurst 4 at #4 Air Force 3, #5 Holy Cross 0
Friday, March 17 - Semifinals Hart Center, Worcester, Mass. #1 Holy Cross 4, #6 Connecticut 1 #4 Bentley 3, #2 Mercyhurst 2 (2 OT)	Friday, March 16 - Semifinals Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, N.Y. #4 Air Force 5, #1 Sacred Heart 4 (OT) #2 Army 3, #3 Connecticut 1
Saturday, March 18 - Finals Hart Center, Worcester, Mass. #1 Holy Cross 5, #4 Bentley 2	Saturday, March 17 - Finals Blue Cross Arena, Rochester, N.Y. #4 Air Force 6, #2 Army 1
2006 NCAA West Regional Ralph Englestad Arena, Grand Forks, N.D. Friday, March 24 #4 Holy Cross 4, #1 Minnesota 3 (OT) Saturday, March 25 #2 North Dakota 5, #4 Holy Cross 2	2007 NCAA West Regional Pepsi Center, Denver, Colo. Saturday, March 24 #1 Minnesota 4, #4 Air Force 3

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Atlantic Hockey History