The Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA) is an NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey conference which operates primarily in the northeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference. Unlike several other college athletic conferences, Atlantic Hockey has no women's division, though it shares some organizational and administrative roles with the women's-only College Hockey America (CHA).
The American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) is a college ice hockey association. The ACHA's purpose is to be an organization of collegiate affiliated programs, which provides structure, regulates operations, and promotes quality in collegiate ice hockey. The ACHA currently has three men's and two women's divisions and includes approximately 450 teams from across the United States and Canada. Most ACHA teams offer few athletic scholarships and typically receive far less university funding. The ACHA offers an opportunity for college hockey programs that struggle with large budgets and Title IX issues, as an alternative to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) financial structure.
The Holy Cross Crusaders men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents the College of the Holy Cross. The Crusaders are a member of the Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA). They play at the Hart Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.
The UConn Huskies men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents the University of Connecticut. The Huskies are a member of the Hockey East conference. The Huskies play in the on-campus Toscano Family Ice Forum, having moved from the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut during the 2022–23 season.
The Canisius Golden Griffins men's ice hockey team is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey program that represents Canisius College. The Golden Griffins are a member of Atlantic Hockey. They play at the LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo, New York across the street from KeyBank Center, home of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. Canisius has won an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament twice, after winning the Atlantic Hockey title in the conference playoffs in both 2013 and 2023, but lost in the first round to the top-ranked team each time.
The RIT Tigers women's ice hockey team is one of two hockey teams representing Rochester Institute of Technology in suburban Rochester, New York. The team moved to NCAA Division I women's ice hockey as a member of College Hockey America after many years at Division III as part of the ECAC West conference. The Bruce B. Bates Women's Hockey Coach is former RIT player and captain Celeste Brown.
The 2003–04 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season began on October 3, 2003 and concluded with the 2004 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament's championship game on April 10, 2004 at the Fleet Center in Boston, Massachusetts. This was the 57th season in which an NCAA ice hockey championship was held and is the 110th year overall where an NCAA school fielded a team. The 2003-04 season was the inaugural year for the Atlantic Hockey Association after the discontinuation of Division I ice hockey sponsorship by the MAAC at the conclusion of the previous season.
The Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year is an annual award given out at the conclusion of the Atlantic Hockey regular season to the best player in the conference as voted by the coaches of each Atlantic Hockey team.
The Atlantic Hockey Best Defensive Forward is an annual award given out at the conclusion of the Atlantic Hockey regular season to the best defensive forward in the conference as voted by the coaches of each Atlantic Hockey team.
The Atlantic Hockey Rookie of the Year is an annual award given out at the conclusion of the Atlantic Hockey regular season to the best freshman in the conference as voted by the coaches of each Atlantic Hockey team.
The Atlantic Hockey Coach of the Year is an annual award given out at the conclusion of the Atlantic Hockey regular season to the top coach in the conference as voted by the coaches of each Atlantic Hockey team.
Justin Danforth is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who can also play as a winger. He currently plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets in the National Hockey League (NHL). He won the ECHL Rookie of the Year in 2018 with the Cincinnati Cyclones.
The 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season began on November 14, 2020, and concluded with the Frozen Four on April 10, 2021. Due to the cancellation of the previous year's tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic, this was the 73rd season in which an NCAA ice hockey championship was held, and was US college hockey's 127th year overall.
The 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season began on October 1, 2022, and concluded with the NCAA championship on April 8, 2023. This was the 75th season in which an NCAA ice hockey championship was held, and was US college hockey's 129th year overall.