Men’s College Hockey Teams

Men's ice hockey players

The NCAA has sponsored men’s college hockey since 1948. Over 150 four-year institutions and 6 junior colleges now offer men’s college hockey primarily in the Northeast and upper Midwest regions. One of the smallest men’s sports leagues in the NCAA, ice hockey is offered across multiple conferences at the Division 1 and 3 level, with only a single conference of seven schools, the Northeast-10 Conference, making up the Division 2 level. Outside of the NCAA, men’s college hockey is also played at NAIA institutions. This section breaks down ice hockey colleges at all three NCAA Divisions and goes into further detail about NAIA hockey programs.

How many hockey teams are there in men’s college hockey?

Men’s hockey is one of the smallest leagues sponsored by the NCAA with 148 total programs across all three divisions. 

While men’s college hockey has not been sponsored by the NAIA since the last National Ice Hockey Championship in 1984, there are currently nine NAIA institutions with hockey programs. Previously governed by the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), all NAIA Division hockey programs are now governed by the NAIA Hockey Coaches Association.

In 2014, a group of coaches and athletic administrators came together to establish the NAIA Hockey Coaches Association and, with the help of the NAIA, began working toward their goal to reinstate ice hockey as a champion NAIA sport. As the sole governing body of the NAIA Division, the NAIA Hockey Coaches Association oversee operations and organizes a national championship, while promoting the growth of college hockey at NAIA institutions.  

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What is the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA)?

The American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) is a men’s and women’s collegiate hockey organization that governs five divisions with over 500 varsity and club level teams in 49 states. Dedicated to supporting and regulating intercollegiate hockey programs in the United States, the ACHA was an early supporter of the NAIA Hockey Coaches Association and its mission to return hockey as a NAIA championship sport. 

Working together, the two associations established a new division, the NAIA Division. The ACHA governed this new division through the inaugural 2017-18 season. As a result of the ACHA’s support in of the NAIA Division’s initial season, the NAIA Hockey Coaches Association was able to take over governance at the beginning of the 2018-19 season and continue its journey to re-establishing hockey as a sponsored NAIA sport.

Colleges with Division 1 hockey teams

How many Division 1 hockey teams are there?

There are 60 NCAA Division 1 hockey teams, mostly in the Northeast and Upper Midwest regions of the United States.

Each D1 hockey team competes in one of six conferences; Atlantic Hockey, Big 10, ECAC, Hockey East, NCHC and WCHA. The only exception to this is Arizona State, which are classified as a Division 1 Independent after transitioning from an ACHA club hockey team to a full varsity team in 2016.

Men’s D1 college hockey rankings

Each week, the NCAA updates the NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey rankings. These rankings are determined by two human polls, the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports poll and the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll and solely compare schools based on their athletic programs.

For a more well-rounded view of Division 1 men’s ice hockey colleges, check out NCSA’s Power Rankings. Rather than focusing exclusively on a school’s athletic record, NCSA analyzes current student-athletes search activity, general academic rankings, and graduations rate and cost of college after aid reports to build a list of the best D1 colleges for men’s college hockey.

Division 2 hockey colleges 

The NCAA has not sponsored a Division 2 Men’s Ice Hockey Championship since 1999, due to a lack of sponsoring programs. As a result, there is only one collegiate athletic conference that sponsors NCAA’s Division II level hockey, the Northeast-10 Conference. There are seven programs in the Northeast-10, across Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont.

D3 hockey colleges and men’s D3 hockey college hockey rankings

Division 3 programs may not offer athletic scholarships, but student-athletes shouldn’t overlook this division. The NCAA offers the largest number of opportunities to play college hockey at the Division 3 level. In all, there at 81 Division 3 men’s college hockey programs spread out across the Northeast and Upper Midwest regions.

What Division 3 men’s hockey teams rank the highest? Student-athletes can check out the NCAA’s rankings each week to see how the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports poll and the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine rank each team.

For student-athletes looking for a more comprehensive ranking system that factors in aspects outside of athletics, check out NCSA’s Power Rankings. NCSA looks beyond athletics to include important data on size, location, cost and academic to produce a list of the best Division 3 ice hockey colleges.

NAIA hockey schools

After the conclusion of the 1984 NAIA men’s national ice hockey championship, the association discontinued sponsorship due to the large number of NAIA programs that were making the move to NCAA schools. 

In 2016, the NAIA Hockey Coaches Association teamed up with ACHA leadership to form the new NAIA Division that included all NAIA varsity hockey programs. This division was governed by the ACHA for the inaugural 2017-18 season. The NAIA Hockey Coaches Association announced in January 2018 that it would replace the ACHA as the sole governing body of the NAIA Division at the start of the 2018-19 season. This change in governance is part of a larger plan lead by the North American Intercollegiate Hockey Association (NAIHA) in tandem with the NAIA Hockey Coaches Association to restoring hockey as a championship sport status under the NAIA.

The NAIA requires a sport to be sponsored by a minimum of 40 varsity institutions, complete in at least two National invitational and receive approval from the NAC before it can gain national championship status. With nine NAIA Division hockey teams, the NAIHA and NAIA Hockey Coaches Association aim to continue growing and developing varsity intercollegiate hockey programs at NAIA institutions with the end goal to achieve championship status within the NAIA.

Junior college hockey teams

The NCJAA hosted the last men’s ice hockey national championship in 2017. After 45 years of governing hockey at junior colleges, the association decided to dissolve the program due to lack of growth.

Colleges with club hockey programs

Division 1: 57 teams in 7 conferences

Division 2: 200 teams in 12 conferences

Division 3: 140 teams in 10 conferences 

Club hockey programs are governed by the American Collegiate Hockey Association and are usually self-managed under the school’s rec sports department. The ACHA’s vast number of club hockey programs can be found across the nation on the East and West Coasts, as well as the Midwest. 

ACHA programs typically attract student-athletes who want to continue competing at a lower level than the NCAA, late bloomers and athletes that NCAA coaches looked over. To make the team, student-athletes typically have to try out for a spot, though these programs are inclusive of different skill levels. On average, ACHA teams practice three to four times a week and compete in home and away games on the weekends.

Men’s college hockey rankings: What are the best hockey colleges?

Selecting the right college fit require more than just finding the right athletic fit for a student-athlete. At NCSA, we understand that athletes are looking for a school that checks all the boxes athletically, academically, socially and financially. To help with the decision-making process, we’ve designed our Power Rankings, which factor in size, location, academics, cost and athletics to identify the best ice hockey colleges.

  1. Princeton University
  2. Harvard University
  3. University of Michigan
  4. Yale University
  5. University of Notre Dame
  6. Boston College
  7. Dartmouth College
  8. University of Wisconsin
  9. Cornell University
  10. Brown University

 

Full List of Men's Hockey Colleges by Divisions

School
City and State
Type
Conference
Division
Adrian, Michigan
Private
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
NCAA D3
New Haven, Connecticut
Private
Great Northeast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Reading, Pennsylvania
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Springfield, Massachusetts
Private
Northeast-10 Conference
NCAA D1
Amherst, Massachusetts
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Paxton, Massachusetts
Private
Great Northeast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Glenside, Pennsylvania
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Tempe, Arizona
Public
Pacific-12 Conference
NCAA D1
Worcester, Massachusetts
Private
Northeast-10 Conference
NCAA D2
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Private
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAA D2
Aurora, Illinois
Private
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
NCAA D3
Wellesley, Massachusetts
Private
New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Bemidji, Minnesota
Public
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAA D1
Waltham, Massachusetts
Private
Northeast-10 Conference
NCAA D1
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Private
Atlantic Coast Conference
NCAA D1
Boston, Massachusetts
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1
Brunswick, Maine
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Bowling Green, Ohio
Public
Central Collegiate Hocke
NCAA D1
Providence, Rhode Island
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1
Buffalo, New York
Private
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Castleton, Vermont
Public
Eastern Collegiate Football Conference
NCAA D3
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Private
Presidents' Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Potsdam, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D1
Howell, Michigan
Private
Association of Independent Institutions
NAIA
Waterville, Maine
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Hamilton, New York
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1
Worcester, Massachusetts
Private
Patriot League
NCAA D1
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Private
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Moorhead, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Private
Mid-States Football Association
NAIA
Mequon, Wisconsin
Private
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
NCAA D3
New London, Connecticut
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Ithaca, New York
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1
Milton, Massachusetts
Private
Commonwealth Coast Conference
NCAA D3
Hanover, New Hampshire
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1
Sioux Center, Iowa
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Elmira, New York
Private
Empire 8 Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Beverly, Massachusetts
Private
Commonwealth Coast Football
NCAA D3
Big Rapids, Michigan
Public
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Hancock, Michigan
Private
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic
NCAA D3
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Public
Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Framingham, Massachusetts
Public
Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Rindge, New Hampshire
Private
Other
NCAA D2
Clinton, New York
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1
Geneva, New York
Private
Liberty League (Division III)
NCAA D3
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Providence, Rhode Island
Private
Great Northeast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Private
Middle Atlantic Freedom
NCAA D3
Lake Forest, Illinois
Private
Midwest Conference
NCAA D3
Sault Ste Marie, Michigan
Public
Central Collegiate Hockey Association (Division I), Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division II)
NCAA D1
Southfield, Michigan
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Appleton, Wisconsin
Private
Midwest Conference
NCAA D3
Annville, Pennsylvania
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Long Island, New York
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1
Purchase, New York
Private
Skyline Conference
NCAA D3
Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
Private
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
NCAA D3
Erie, Pennsylvania
Private
Collegiate Water Polo Association
NCAA D1
North Andover, Massachusetts
Private
Northeast-10 Conference
NCAA D1
Oxford, Ohio
Public
Mid-American Conference
NCAA D1
East Lansing, Michigan
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1
Houghton, Michigan
Public
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Middlebury, Vermont
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Fremont, Nebraska
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Private
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
NCAA D3
Mankato, Minnesota
Public
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAA D1
Alexandria , Minnesota
Public
NA3HL Tier III
JC
Sandy Springs, Georgia
Public
NA3HL Tier III
JC
Bozeman, Montana
Public
NA3HL Tier III
JC
Gillette, Wyoming
Public
NA3HL Tier III
JC
Sauk Rapids, Minnesota
Public
NA3HL Tier III
JC
Great Falls, Montana
Public
NA3HL Tier III
JC
Helena, Montana
Public
NA3HL Tier III
JC
Vadnais Heights, Minnesota
Public
NA3HL Tier III
JC
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Public
NA3HL Tier III
JC
Peoria, Illinois
Public
NA3HL Tier III
JC
Affton, Missouri
Public
NA3HL Tier III
JC
North Richland Hills, Texas
Public
NA3HL Tier III
JC
Wausau, Wisconsin
Public
NA3HL Tier III
JC
Aberdeen, South Dakota
Public
NAHL Tier II
JC
Bismarck, North Dakota
Public
NAHL Tier II
JC
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Public
NAHL Tier II
JC
Corpus Christi, Texas
Public
NAHL Tier II
JC
Fairbanks, Alaska
Public
NAHL Tier II
JC
Jamestown, New York
Public
NAHL Tier II
JC
Janesville, Wisconsin
Public
NAHL Tier II
JC
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Public
NAHL Tier II
JC
North Richland Hills, Texas
Public
NAHL TIer II
JC
Richfield, Minnesota
Public
NAHL Tier II
JC
Cloquet, Minnesota
Public
NAHL Tier II
JC
Minot, North Dakota
Public
NAHL Tier II
JC
Farmingdale, New Jersey
Public
NAHL Tier II
JC
Mason City, Iowa
Public
NAHL Tier II
JC
Springfield, Illinois
Public
NAHL Tier II
JC
Rochester, New York
Private
Empire 8 Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Bridgewater, New Jersey
Public
NCDC Tier II
JC
Aston, Pennsylvania
Private
Atlantic East
NCAA D3
Henniker, New Hampshire
Private
New England Collegiate Conference
NCAA D3
Niagara University, New York
Private
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Dudley, Massachusetts
Private
Commonwealth Coast Football
NCAA D3
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Public
NOJHL Tier II
JC
Boston, Massachusetts
Private
Colonial Athletic Association
NCAA D1
Presque Isle, Maine
Public
Maine Small College Conference, United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA), Yankee Small College Conference
JC
Marquette, Michigan
Public
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Ashland, Wisconsin
Private
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Northfield, Vermont
Private
Great Northeast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Columbus, Ohio
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1
Amherst, New York
Public
OJHL Tier II
JC
University Park, Pennsylvania
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1
Plymouth, New Hampshire
Public
Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Waterbury, Connecticut
Private
Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (Division II)
NCAA D2
Princeton, New Jersey
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1
Providence, Rhode Island
Private
Big East Conference
NCAA D1
Hamden, Connecticut
Private
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Troy, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D1
Nashua, New Hampshire
Private
Great Northeast Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Moon Township, Pennsylvania
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1
Rochester, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D1
Chicago, Illinois
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Fairfield, Connecticut
Private
Northeast Conference
NCAA D1
Manchester, New Hampshire
Private
Northeast-10 Conference
NCAA D2
Collegeville, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Winona, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Colchester, Vermont
Private
Northeast-10 Conference
NCAA D2
Salem, Massachusetts
Public
Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Newport, Rhode Island
Private
Commonwealth Coast Football
NCAA D3
Saratoga Springs, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D3
Manchester, New Hampshire
Private
Northeast-10 Conference
NCAA D2
Saint Cloud, Minnesota
Public
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAA D1
Canton, New York
Private
Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association
NCAA D1
De Pere, Wisconsin
Private
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
NCAA D3
Northfield, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Stevenson, Maryland
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Easton, Massachusetts
Private
Norteast Conference (NEC)
NCAA D1
Boston, Massachusetts
Private
Commonwealth Coast Conference
NCAA D3
Buffalo, New York
Public
State University of New York Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Canton, New York
Public
North Atlantic Conference
NCAA D3
Brockport, New York
Public
State University of New York Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Cortland, New York
Public
State University of New York Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Buffalo, New York
Public
NJCAA
JC
Geneseo, New York
Public
State University of New York Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Morrisville, New York
Public
Empire 8 Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Oswego, New York
Public
State University of New York Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Plattsburgh, New York
Public
State University of New York Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Potsdam, New York
Public
State University of New York Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Duluth, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Angola, Indiana
Private
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
NCAA D3
Hartford, Connecticut
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Medford, Massachusetts
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Schenectady, New York
Private
Liberty League
NCAA D1
USAFA, Colorado
Public
Mountain West Conference
NCAA D1
West Point, New York
Public
Atlantic Hockey Association (Division I for men's ice hockey)
NCAA D1
Huntsville, Alabama
Public
Gulf South Conference
NCAA D1
Anchorage, Alaska
Public
Great Northwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Fairbanks, Alaska
Public
Great Northwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Storrs, Connecticut
Public
Big East Conference
NCAA D1
Denver, Colorado
Private
The Summit League
NCAA D1
Orono, Maine
Public
Atlantic 10 Conference
NCAA D1
Amherst, Massachusetts
Public
Atlantic 10 Conference
NCAA D1
Boston, Massachusetts
Public
Little East Conference
NCAA D3
North Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Public
Little East Conference
NCAA D3
Lowell, Massachusetts
Public
America East Conference
NCAA D1
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1
Duluth, Minnesota
Public
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAA D1
Omaha, Nebraska
Public
The Summit League
NCAA D1
Biddeford, Maine
Private
Commonwealth Coast Conference
NCAA D3
Durham, New Hampshire
Public
American East Conference
NCAA D1
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Public
Big Sky Conference
NCAA D1
Notre Dame, Indiana
Private
Division I-A Independents
NCAA D1
Portland, Maine
Public
Little East Conference
NCAA D3
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Private
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D1
Burlington, Vermont
Public
America East Conference
NCAA D1
Madison, Wisconsin
Public
Big Ten Conference
NCAA D1
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Public
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
River Falls, Wisconsin
Public
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Public
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Menomonie, Wisconsin
Public
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Superior, Wisconsin
Public
Upper Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Bensenville, Illinois
Public
USHL Tier I
JC
Fargo, North Dakota
Public
USHL Tier I
JC
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Public
USHL Tier I
JC
Lincoln, Nebraska
Public
USHL Tier I
JC
Madison, Wisconsin
Public
USHL Tier I
JC
Muskegon, Michigan
Public
USHL Tier I
JC
Ralston, Nebraska
Public
USHL Tier I
JC
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Public
USHL Tier I
JC
Kearney, Nebraska
Public
USHL Tier I
JC
Kingston, Massachusetts
Public
USPHL
JC
Indian Trail, North Carolina
Public
USPHL Premier Tier III
JC
South Carolina
Public
USPHL Premier & Elite
JC
Lewis Center, Ohio
Public
USPHL Premier (Tier 3)
JC
Decatur, Illinois
Public
USPHL Premier Tier III
JC
Lake Delton , Wisconsin
Public
USPHL Premier Tier III
JC
Fort Myers, Florida
Public
USPHL Premier Tier III
JC
Hudson, Wisconsin
Public
USPHL Premier Tier III
JC
Waterford, Michigan
Public
USPHL Premier Tier III
JC
Forest Lake, Minnesota
Public
USPHL Premier Tier III
JC
Fort Collins, Colorado
Public
USPHL Premier (Tier III)
JC
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Public
USPHL Premier Tier III
JC
Dale City, Virginia
Public
USPHL Premier Tier III
JC
Escondido, California
Public
WSHL Tier III
JC
West Spingfield, Massachusetts
Public
USPHL Premier Tier III
JC
Wesley Chapel, Florida
Public
USPHL Premier
JC
Toledo, Ohio
Public
USPHL Premier Tier III
JC
West Valley City, Utah
Public
WSHL Tier III
JC
WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wisconsin
Public
USPHL Tier III
JC
Wooster, Ohio
Public
USPHL Premier Tier III
JC
Utica, New York
Private
Empire 8 Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Boston, Massachusetts
Private
Commonwealth Coast Conference
NCAA D3
Middletown, Connecticut
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Public
Mid-American Conference
NCAA D1
Springfield, Massachusetts
Private
Commonwealth Coast Football
NCAA D3
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Private
Middle Atlantic Conferences
NCAA D3
Williamstown, Massachusetts
Private
New England Small College Athletic Conference
NCAA D3
Worcester, Massachusetts
Public
Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic
NCAA D3
Euless, Texas
Public
WSHL Tier III
JC
Mountlake Terrace, Washington
Public
WSHL Tier III
JC
Valencia, California
Public
WSHL Tier III
JC
Wichita, Kansas
Public
WSHL Tier III
JC
New Haven, Connecticut
Private
Ivy League
NCAA D1