The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. At the conclusion of the 2006 season, WCHA teams had won five consecutive NCAA men's titles. WCHA teams have also won all nine NCAA women's titles (the first was contested in 2001). The 2005 NCAA Frozen Four hockey tournament finals were comprised entirely of teams from the WCHA. The WCHA was founded as the Midwest Collegiate Hockey League (MCHL) from 1951–53, then became the Western Intercollegiate Hockey League (WIHL) from 1953–58, and ultimately on to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in 1959. The regular season conference champion is awarded the MacNaughton Cup, while the league's tournament champion takes home the Broadmoor Trophy.
[edit] Members The WCHA has 12 member schools in all; the men's division operates with 10 members, while the women's division has eight. | Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Men's Member | Women's Member | NCAA Men's Championships | NCAA Women's Championships | Primary Conference | | University of Alaska Anchorage | Anchorage, Alaska | 1977 | 1993 | Public | 18,000 | Seawolves | Yes | No | 0 | N/A | Great Northwest (D-II) | | Bemidji State University | Bemidji, Minnesota | 1919 | 1999 | Public | 4,800 | Beavers | No | Yes | Plays in CHA | 0 | Northern Sun (D-II) | | Colorado College | Colorado Springs, Colorado | 1874 | 1951 | Private | 1,950 | Tigers | Yes | No | 2 | N/A | SCAC (D-III) | | University of Denver | Denver, Colorado | 1864 | 1951 | Private | 11,117 | Pioneers | Yes | No | 7 | N/A | Sun Belt | | Michigan Technological University | Houghton, Michigan | 1885 | 1951 (CCHA, 1981–84) | Public | 7,014 | Huskies | Yes | No | 3 | N/A | GLIAC (D-II) | | University of Minnesota, Twin Cities | Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota | 1851 | 1951 | Public | 51,194 | Golden Gophers | Yes | Yes | 5 | 2 | Big Ten | | University of Minnesota Duluth | Duluth, Minnesota | 1947 | 1966 | Public | 10,500 | Bulldogs | Yes | Yes | 0 | 4 | Northern Sun (D-II) | | Minnesota State University, Mankato | Mankato, Minnesota | 1868 | 1999 | Public | 14,000 | Mavericks | Yes | Yes | 0 | 0 | Northern Sun (D-II) | | University of North Dakota | Grand Forks, North Dakota | 1883 | 1951 | Public | 13,000 | Fighting Sioux | Yes | Yes | 7 | 0 | Great West | | Ohio State University | Columbus, Ohio | 1870 | 1999 | Public | 51,818 | Buckeyes | No | Yes | Plays in CCHA | 0 | Big Ten | | St. Cloud State University | St. Cloud, Minnesota | 1869 | 1990 | Public | 17,073 | Huskies | Yes | Yes | 0 | 0 | Northern Sun (D-II) | | University of Wisconsin–Madison | Madison, Wisconsin | 1848 | 1969 | Public | 41,169 | Badgers | Yes | Yes | 6 | 3 | Big Ten | [edit] Former Members - All former members of the WCHA are current members of the CCHA.
† Number of NCAA championships won while WCHA member. [edit] Future Members [edit] Conference arenas Locations of Western Collegiate Hockey Association member institutions. | School | Hockey Arena | Capacity | | Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves | Sullivan Arena | 6,406 | | Bemidji State Beavers | John S. Glas Field House | 2,399 | | Colorado College Tigers | World Arena | 7,343 | | Denver Pioneers | Magness Arena | 6,026 | | Michigan Tech Huskies | John MacInnes Ice Arena | 4,200 | | Minnesota Golden Gophers | Mariucci Arena (men) Ridder Arena (women) | 10,000 3,400 | | Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs | Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) | 5,333 | | Minnesota State Mavericks | Verizon Wireless Center (men) All Seasons Arena (women) | 4,832 1,300 | | North Dakota Fighing Sioux | Ralph Engelstad Arena | 11,640 | | Ohio State Buckeyes | OSU Ice Rink | 1,200 | | St. Cloud State Huskies | National Hockey Center | 5,763 | | Wisconsin Badgers | Kohl Center | 15,237 | [edit] See also [edit] External links |