AMERICAN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION MEN’S DIVISION-I HOCKEY RANKING CONCLUDES WITH ADRIAN COLLEGE CAPTURING ITS THIRD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Bulldogs Defeated First-Time Finalist University of Nevada-Las Vegas 3-0
UNION LAKE, Mich. – (March 20, 2024) –Adrian College (31-5-0), regular season champions of the Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League (GLCHL), defeated University of Nevada-Las Vegas (28-7-2) 3-0 in the 2024 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championship Game to secure its third national title since 2018. Noah Decottignies, a goaltender from Adrian College who stopped all 41 shots in the championship game and 105 of 109 total shots in four games, was named the Joe Battista Tournament Most Valuable Player. En route to the final, Adrian College defeated Calvin University (4-1), quarter-finalist Liberty University (4-2), and semifinalist Ohio University (3-1).
Despite the loss, No. 2 University of Nevada-Las Vegas played in its first National Championship Game and have finished in the Top 5 each of the last three seasons. No. 3 University of Central Oklahoma (28-6-2), regular season champions of the Western Collegiate Hockey League (WCHL), played in its fifth semifinal game and earned its tenth Top 10 finish while No. 4 Ohio University (30-6-2) earned its 31st Top 10 finish at nationals. Rounding out the Top 5 is 2023 Men’s Division I National Champion Minot State University (30-6-2), which have now finished no lower than ninth place in all 19 tournaments it has competed in since its first appearance in 2000.
With the conclusion of the ACHA’s 33rd season, there have been a total of 14 schools that have won the ACHA Men’s Division I National Championship:
- Penn State University (5 times)
- Lindenwood University (4)
- Ohio University (4)
- Adrian College (3)
- Minot State University (3)
- North Dakota State University (2)
- University Central Oklahoma (2)
- University of Illinois (2)
- Arizona State University
- Davenport University
- Iowa State University
- Oakland University
- University of Delaware
- University of Rhode Island
The Western Collegiate Hockey League leads the way with six (of 10) of its member teams ranked, while Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League has four (of 8) of its member teams ranked, Midwest College Hockey has three (of 7) of its member teams ranked, and Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey League has four (of 10) of its member teams ranked.
Moving into the polls this week is No. 16 Oswego State University, No. 24 University of Rhode Island, and No. 25 Iowa State University while University of Oklahoma, McKendree University, and University of Colorado drop out of the Top 25.
A total of 72 teams competed in Men’s Division I this season, while 75 teams will compete in Men’s Division I next season including Men’s Division II member Drury University and Men’s Division III members Northwood University and Saginaw Valley State University.
The 2025 ACHA Men’s Division I National Championships presented by FloHockey will be hosted March 13-18 for the third time at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Mo. This will be the second year of the 24-team format.
| 2023-2024 ACHA Men’s Division I Final Ranking | ||||
| Rank | School Name | M1 Record | Previous | Conference |
| 1 | Adrian | 31-5-0 | 2 | GLCHL |
| 2 | Nevada-Las Vegas | 28-7-2 | 5 | WCHL |
| 3 | Central Oklahoma | 28-6-2 | 3 | WCHL |
| 4 | Ohio | 26-8-4 | 8 | INDEP |
| 5 | Minot State | 30-6-2 | 1 | INDEP |
| 6 | Liberty | 20-10-1 | 7 | INDEP |
| 7 | Purdue Northwest | 29-6-1 | 11 | GLCHL |
| 8 | Pittsburgh | 21-14-2 | 20 | ESCHL |
| 9 | Jamestown | 24-11-0 | 4 | MCH |
| 10 | Maryville | 23-10-2 | 6 | INDEP |
| 11 | Mary | 23-14-1 | 10 | MCH |
| 12 | Calvin | 22-9-2 | 15 | GLCHL |
| 13 | Grand Valley State | 21-9-2 | 14 | GLCHL |
| 14 | Grand Canyon | 18-14-1 | 17 | WCHL |
| 15 | Missouri State | 14-17-2 | 21 | WCHL |
| 16 | Oswego State | 24-9-2 | NR | NECHL |
| 17 | Niagara | 19-10-1 | 9 | ESCHL |
| 18 | Utah | 16-11-2 | 12 | WCHL |
| 19 | Illinois State | 24-12-1 | 16 | MCH |
| 20 | Arizona | 15-14-1 | 13 | WCHL |
| 21 | Indiana Tech | 25-11-1 | 18 | WHAC |
| 22 | Delaware | 16-10-4 | 19 | ESCHL |
| 23 | Indiana Pennsylvania | 22-8-2 | 23 | CHMA |
| 24 | Rhode Island | 21-12-3 | NR | ESCHL |
| 25 | Iowa State | 10-10-0 | NR | INDEP |
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About American Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) was founded in 1991 and is the national association for Non-NCAA Collegiate Hockey throughout the United States. Our organization of more than 450 colleges and university-affiliated teams representing 48 states provides structure, regulates operations, and promotes the sport of Hockey nationwide. With approximately 13,000 players and coaches as well as countless volunteers and game officials, the ACHA has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade and continues to be a viable option for college bound student-athletes to continue playing competitive hockey nationwide. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the ACHA’s primary mission is to support the growth of Collegiate Hockey while emphasizing academic performance, personal development, and opportunities for regional, national, and international competition. The ACHA identifies standards which serve to unite and regulate teams at the collegiate level and finished its 33rd season in March 2024. For more information, visit achahockey.org.
