College Hockey South
FormerlySouth Eastern Collegiate Hockey Conference (SECHC) [2008-2021]
ConferenceCHS
Founded2022
CommissionerKyle Knell (2022)
Sports fielded
No. of teams28
RegionSoutheastern United States
Official websiteCHS official website

College Hockey South (CHS), formerly known as the South Eastern Collegiate Hockey Conference (SECHC), is a non-varsity ice hockey conference in the Southern United States. The conference plays in Division 1, Division 2, and Division 3 and Women's Division of Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) College Hockey. The member clubs of College Hockey South are member universities of several different conferences in NCAA athletics.[1][2]

On February 11, 2022, the South Eastern Collegiate Hockey Conference rebranded as College Hockey South.[3]

Teams

After the 2012–13 season Arkansas moved from the South Region of Division 3 to the Pacific Region but remained a member of the ACHA.[4]

Following the 2014–15 season, both Arkansas and Alabama moved up to ACHA Division 1. Alabama discontinued their participation in the SECHC in 2015, but returned to the conference in 2021.

On January 2, 2023, College Hockey South announced the addition of a women's division beginning in the 2023-2024 season. The division will consist of women's teams from Auburn, Miami, South Florida, and Tampa as well as the teams of Georgia and South Carolina which are both currently being formalized.[5]

Men's Division I

School City State Founded Joined Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Home Arena
Auburn University Auburn Alabama 1856 2023-24 Public 25,379 Tigers Columbus Ice Rink
University of Alabama Tuscaloosa Alabama 1831 2023-24 Public 32,458 Crimson Tide Pelham Civic Center
University of Georgia Athens Georgia 1785 2023-24 Public 30,714 Bulldogs Classic Center
University of South Carolina Columbia South Carolina 1801 2023-24 Public 27,343 Gamecocks Flight Adventure Park Irmo
University of Tampa Tampa Florida 1931 2023-24 Private 9,602 Spartans Clearwater Ice Arena

Men's Division II

Division School City State Founded Joined Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Home Arena
North Division University of Alabama in Huntsville Huntsville Alabama 1950 2018–19 Public 9,000 Chargers Wilcoxon Ice Complex
Clemson University Clemson South Carolina 1889 2018–19 Public 24,387 Tigers The Pavilion / Bon Secours Wellness Arena
Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta Georgia 1885 2019-20 Public 28,000 Yellow Jackets Atlanta Ice Forum
Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro Tennessee 1911 2018–19 Public 21,913 Blue Raiders Ford Ice Center
University of Mississippi Oxford Mississippi 1848 2009–10 Public 23,838 Ice Rebels Midsouth Icehouse
University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee 1794 2008–09 Public 27,739 Ice Vols Knoxville Civic Coliseum
Vanderbilt University Nashville Tennessee 1873 2008–09 Private / Non-sectarian 13,537 Commodores Ford Ice Center
South Division
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach Florida 1926 2022-23 Private 33,678 Eagles Daytona Ice Arena
University of Florida Gainesville Florida 1853 2008–09 Public 49,679 Ice Gators Various
Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Florida 1961 2019–20 Public 30,808 Owls Florida Panthers Ice Den
Lynn University Boca Raton Florida 1962 2019–20 Private 3,000 Fighting Knights Palm Beach Skate Zone
University of Central Florida Orlando Florida 1963 2022-23 Public 70,406 Knights RDV Sportsplex
University of South Florida Tampa Florida 1956 2022-23 Public 50,830 Bulls Florida Hospital Center Ice
University of Tampa Tampa Florida 1931 2022-23 Private 9,304 Spartans Clearwater Ice Arena

Men's Division III

School City State Founded Joined Affiliation Enrollment Nickname[6] Home Arena
University of Alabama Tuscaloosa Alabama 1831 2023-24 Public 32,458 Crimson Tide Pelham Civic Center
Eastern Kentucky University Richmond Kentucky 1906 2023-24 Public 12,072 Colonels Lexington Ice Center
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach Florida 1926 2022-23 Private 33,678 Eagles Daytona Ice Arena
University of Florida Gainesville Florida 1853 2008–09 Public 49,679 Ice Gators Various
Florida Southern College Lakeland Florida 1883 2022-23 Private 30,808 Moccasins Lakeland Ice Arena
Florida State University Tallahassee Florida 1851 2019–20 Public 45,493 Seminoles Columbus Civic Center
Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne Florida 1958 2022-23 Private 9,316 Panthers Space Coast Iceplex
University of North Florida Jacksonville Florida 1972 2023-24 Public 16,517 Ospreys Community First Igloo
University of South Florida Tampa Florida 1956 2022-23 Public 50,830 Bulls Florida Hospital Center Ice
Kennesaw State University Kennesaw Georgia 1963 2018–19 Public 35,000 Owls Atlanta Ice House
University of Miami Miami Florida 1925 2022-23 Private 17,811 Hurricanes Pines Ice Arena
University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee 1794 2022-23 Public 27,739 Volunteers Knoxville Civic Coliseum

Women's Division

School City State Founded Joined Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Home Arena
Auburn University Auburn Alabama 1856 2023-24 Public 25,379 Tigers Columbus Ice Rink
University of Alabama Tuscaloosa Alabama 1831 2023-24 Public 32,458 Crimson Tide Pelham Civic Center
University of Georgia Athens Georgia 1785 2023-24 Public 30,714 Bulldogs Classic Center
University of South Carolina Columbia South Carolina 1801 2023-24 Public 27,343 Gamecocks Flight Adventure Park Irmo
University of Miami Miami Florida 1925 2023-24 Private 12,504 Hurricanes Kendall Ice Arena
University of South Florida Tampa Florida 1956 2023-24 Public 38,046 Bulls Clearwater Ice Arena
University of Tampa Tampa Florida 1931 2023-24 Private 9,602 Spartans Clearwater Ice Arena

Former members

School City State Joined Left Conference left for Current conference
Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Louisiana 2009–10 2017–18 Dropped team
Mississippi State University Starkville Mississippi 2008–09 2017–18 Dropped team

Membership timeline

University of Central FloridaUniversity of South FloridaUniversity of MiamiGeorgia Institute of TechnologyLynn UniversityFlorida Atlantic UniversityMiddle Tennessee State UniversityKennesaw State UniversityGeorgia Institute of TechnologyFlorida State UniversityClemson UniversityUniversity of Alabama in HuntsvilleAuburn UniversityUniversity of MississippiLouisiana State UniversityVanderbilt UniversityUniversity of TennesseeUniversity of South CarolinaMississippi State UniversityUniversity of GeorgiaUniversity of FloridaUniversity of ArkansasUniversity of Alabama

Conference champions

The CHS Championship Tournament is held every year in February at the conclusion of the regular season and after the ACHA South Regionals. After the 2014–15 season the cross-divisional playoff format was abandoned. For the 2015–16 season there was just one division within CHS and the first round of the playoffs featured the #1 seed vs the #8 seed, the #2 seed vs the #7 seed, etc.

Year Champion
2009 Tennessee
2010 Arkansas
2011 Arkansas
2012 Alabama
2013 Arkansas
2014 Arkansas
2015 Arkansas
2016 Georgia
2017 Georgia
2018 Arkansas
2019 Georgia
2020 Ole Miss
2021 Georgia
2022 Georgia
2023 Tampa

Venues

Venues for the teams vary from community ice rinks to civic-center sized arenas. As the conference has expanded and interest in hockey has grown in the Southern United States teams have sought larger venues for games. The 2010-11 SECHC Championship Tournament was held at the 8,500 seat Columbus Civic Center.[7] Two teams, Georgia and Florida along with in-state rivals Georgia Tech and Florida State, as well as a Thursday game played between in-state rivals South Carolina and Citadel play a yearly tournament at the Savannah Civic Center.[8]

ACHA Division 3 Nationals teams

CHS has sent 13 teams to the ACHA Division 3 National Tournament. While no CHS team has ever made it out of pool play, Arkansas in 2014 had the best success going 2-1 in their pool but losing the goals against tie breaker to the eventual champion Adrian College.

2009 Host City: Rochester, NY

Hope College (L 3-5)
Colorado (W 7-6)
Dordt College (L 1-4)
Albany (W 6-5)

2010 Host City: Fort Myers, FL

College of the Canyons (L 3-8)
Saginaw Valley State (L 1-14)
Robert Morris (W 8-6)
Colorado (L 1-7)
Hope College (L 2-5)
Fredonia State (L 2-4)

2012 Host City: Vineland, NJ

California (PA) (L 3-7)
Hope College (L 1-9)
Cal State Northridge (L 6-7 OT)

2013 Host City: Springfield, MO

Colorado State (W 2-1)
Farmingdale State (L 2-5)
Adrian College (L 0-9)
Iowa State (W 4-2)
California (PA) (L 5-7)
Michigan-Flint (L 1-7)

2014 Host City: Coral Springs, FL

Adrian College (L 3-4)
Neumann (W 14-6)
Central Florida (W 6-2)
California (PA) (L 2-8)
Davenport (L 2-10)
Aurora (L 3-9)

2015 Host City: Pelham, AL

Fairfield (W 6-2)
Calvin College (W 9-2)
Florida Gulf Coast (L 1-6)
Michigan State (T 4-4)
Pittsburgh-Johnstown (W 6-1)
Colorado State, (L 6-7 OT)
Oakland (L 4-7)
California (PA) (L 3-7)
Metro State (L 1-6)

2017 Host City: Columbus, OH

Oakland (L 6-7)
Bryn Athyn (L 1-6)
Missouri State (W 7-3)

2018 Host City: Columbus, OH

Nebraska (W 5-1)
Oakland (L 4-8)
Farmingdale State (L 7-3)

See also

References

  1. ^ "Ledger-Enquirer.com | 11/22/2010 | Georgia Tech edges Alabama for College Hockey Clash title". Archived from the original on 2010-12-05. Retrieved 2010-12-03.
  2. ^ http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2010/11/21/1353982/college-hockey-clash-roundup-alabama.html[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "SECHC press release". Archived from the original on January 19, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  4. ^ "Arkansas Razorback Hockey - Hogs switch out of South Region; find new home in the Pacific". Archived from the original on 2014-01-16. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
  5. ^ "@CollegeHkySouth". Twitter. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  6. ^ "South Eastern Collegiate Hockey Conference - Teams". Archived from the original on 2012-03-28. Retrieved 2011-08-26.
  7. ^ "Ledger-Enquirer.com | 02/06/2011 | College hockey: SECHC Tournament bracket released". Archived from the original on 2012-03-20. Retrieved 2011-08-28.
  8. ^ "Real SEC flavor to Savannah Tire Hockey Classic". Savannahnow.com. Archived from the original on 2022-02-19. Retrieved 2022-02-19.

External links

American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 3
Categories