Atlantic Hockey Tournament Moves to Rochester

ATLANTIC HOCKEY TOURNAMENT MOVES TO ROCHESTER

Fourth Annual Tournament To Be Played At Blue Cross Arena Starting in 2007

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WAKEFIELD, Mass. — The Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, N.Y. will host the 2007 Atlantic Hockey Championships. The Atlantic Hockey Association and SMG, operators of the Blue Cross Arena, today announced a partnership that will bring the tournament to Rochester for the next three years.

"Bringing Division I Atlantic Hockey to the Blue Cross Arena affords our schools the opportunity to experience a city that has a long-standing tradition of great support for hockey," said Robert DeGregorio, commissioner, Atlantic Hockey Association.

The Atlantic Hockey Championship will be a preview for the Rochester area as the 2007 NCAA East Regional will be played at the Blue Cross Arena the following weekend. The Atlantic Hockey Championship in Rochester will mark the first time the annual tournament has been held at a neutral location. Previous tournaments took place on campus sites.

"The goal of SMG is to build upon Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy’s pledge to bring in events that expand the base of people coming into downtown to enjoy all aspects of what our community has to offer," said Jeff Calkins, SMG general manager. "These two weeks will bring an unprecedented level of collegiate sports to the Rochester area."

"The Blue Cross Arena and Atlantic Hockey have worked hard to make this a reality and have formed a true partnership," said DeGregorio. "I believe that this is a giant step forward for Atlantic Hockey."

The Atlantic Hockey Association was formed when nine institutions joined together in 2003, to found a new Division-I men’s ice hockey conference. The league currently consists of eight members: American International College, Army, Bentley College, Canisius College, the University of Connecticut, the College of the Holy Cross, Mercyhurst College, and Sacred Heart University. Next season the Air Force Academy and Rochester Institute of Technology will join Atlantic Hockey.