AMERICAN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION RETURNS TO ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI FOR ACHA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 2024
TROY, Mich. – (December 12, 2022) – The American Collegiate Hockey Association, the governing body for non-varsity collegiate hockey in the United States, announced today that it has selected St. Louis, Missouri as the site for the 2024 ACHA National Championships presented by FloHockey. The ten-day event will be hosted by the St. Louis Sports Commission and the St. Louis Blues.
The 2024 ACHA National Championships presented by FloHockey will be played from March 7 through March 17, 2024 at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Missouri. The Centene Community Ice Center, which opened in September 2019, is the practice facility for the NHL St. Louis Blues as well as the home of Lindenwood University’s hockey programs. The Centene Community Ice Center previously hosted the 2022 ACHA National Championships. The ACHA will also once again utilize the Maryville University Hockey Center in nearby Chesterfield, Missouri, for overflow games and practices.
Players from 78 teams across all five ACHA divisions—Men’s Division 1, 2, and 3 and Women’s Divisions 1 and 2—will converge upon the suburban St. Louis area to compete in more than 110 games over the course of the event. Twenty ACHA Men’s Division I teams will compete for the National Championship from March 7 through March 12, as will sixteen teams from ACHA Men’s Division III. Sixteen ACHA Men’s Division II teams will compete for the title from March 11 through March 15. Ten ACHA Women’s Division I teams will play for a shot at the National Championship from March 13 through March 17, while sixteen ACHA Women’s Division II teams will compete from March 12 through March 16.
“The St. Louis Sports Commission and the St. Louis Blues were such gracious hosts last season and we are thrilled to be bringing the ACHA National Championships back to St. Louis in 2024,” said ACHA Executive Director Craig Barnett. “The Centene Community Ice Center is a first-class facility and the Maryville University Hockey Center is an excellent venue, both perfect for our event. We are looking forward to another tremendous ten days of hockey in St. Louis in 2024!”
“Our experience hosting the ACHA National Championships earlier this year was tremendous and we look forward to bringing the event back to the Heartland of Hockey again so soon,” said Chris Zimmerman, President and CEO of the St. Louis Blues. “Securing marquee hockey events like this and the 2024 NCAA Men’s D1 Hockey Regionals at Centene Community Ice Center are a testament to our vision for the building and its impact on the local community. The grassroots hockey development and economic activity from these events will provide legacy benefits for the venue and our region for years to come.”
“We are so happy to welcome the return of the ACHA National Championships to Centene Community Ice Center in 2024,” said Dave Otto, Chairman of the St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation. “As we experienced last March, our complex is the perfect venue to host these championships and provides an incredible experience for the thousands of student-athletes, coaches, and fans that will create another $3 Million in economic impact for our community.”
“In 2022, St. Louis had the privilege of hosting the ACHA National Championships showcasing two wonderful venues in Centene Community Ice Center and Maryville University Hockey Center,” said St. Louis Sports Commission Vice President Chris Roseman. “Along with the local hockey community, we look forward to welcoming the return of great men’s and women’s collegiate hockey to our region.”
“We are tremendously excited to welcome back the ACHA National Championships to Centene Community Ice Center for a second time,” said Jeremy Huelsing, General Manager of Centene Community Ice Center. “It is an honor to host such a great event that brings thousands of student athletes, coaches, and fans to the St. Louis region. We look forward to once again providing a great experience and showcasing our world-class facility to the collegiate hockey community.”
“Maryville University is excited to help host the 2024 ACHA National Championships in St. Louis,” said John Hogan, Maryville University Director of Hockey. “Along with the St. Louis Sports Commission and the Centene Community Ice Center, we hope we can build from the great ACHA National Championships we held in town in 2022. With two new state-of-the-art facilities in a centrally located city, we believe St. Louis can be a reoccurring destination for this great ACHA event. We look forward to providing the ACHA’s student athletes, friends, families, and fans a once-in-a-life time experience.”
For more information, please contact Executive Director Craig Barnett at cbarnett@achahockey.org.
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ABOUT AMERICAN COLLEGIATE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION
The American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) is a recognized 501(c)3 organization of almost 450 college and university-affiliated programs which provides structure, regulates operations, and promotes the quality of collegiate ice hockey throughout the United States. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the ACHA’s primary mission is to support the growth and development of college hockey programs nationwide. The ACHA identifies standards which serve to unite and regulate teams at the collegiate level and entered its 32nd season in September 2022. For more information, visit achahockey.org.
ABOUT THE ST. LOUIS BLUES
The St. Louis Blues have been a part of the NHL since 1967. During more than 50 years of operation, the organization has established itself as one of the premier professional sports franchises in the country. With a Stanley Cup, ten division titles, a Presidents’ Trophy and more than 20 former team members enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Blues have etched one of the most storied histories in the NHL. Through their history, the Blues have hosted more than 35 million fans and invested millions in the St. Louis community via Blues for Kids, the team’s charitable foundation. For more information, please visit www.nhl.com/blues.
ABOUT ST. LOUIS LEGACY ICE FOUNDATION
The St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation was founded to provide the St. Louis region – with an emphasis on youth – with the opportunity to develop their skills in ice sports in setting that foster personal growth and excellence. The St. Louis Community Ice Center is our “flagship” facility ensures that our region will attract major ice sport events and tournaments, contributing to economic development and job creation, with the resulting effect of strengthening ice sports across our region. In these and related endeavors, we champion the value inherent in ice sports: commitment, good sportsmanship, teamwork, personal integrity, and respect for others and self. For more information, please visit www.legacyice.org.
ABOUT ST. LOUIS SPORTS COMMISSION
The St. Louis Sports Commission is the privately-funded nonprofit organization that grows, strengthens and moves St. Louis forward through sports. The organization uses the power of sports to enhance the area’s quality of life and generate economic and social benefit for the St. Louis region. For more information, please visit stlsports.org.
ABOUT MARYLAND HEIGHTS
Maryland Heights is home to more than 27,000 residents and 1,600 businesses, making it a major employment center for the region. The city is also a hospitality and entertainment destination, hosting over 3,800 hotel rooms and numerous dining, recreation and entertainment opportunities Maryland Heights is a great place to live, work and visit. For more information, please visit www.marylandheights.com.
