USA HOCKEY AND ACHA EXTEND PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – (May 3, 2023) – USA Hockey and the American Collegiate Hockey Association announced today a multi-year extension of their long-standing partnership aimed at furthering the development, growth, and visibility of college hockey in the United States.
“We’re extremely proud to continue what has been a decades old relationship with the ACHA,” said Pat Kelleher, Executive Director of USA Hockey. “We celebrate the athletes, staff and fans of the ACHA and look forward to continuing to showcase the great opportunities and stories that come from the significant role the ACHA plays in the overall landscape of our sport.”
“It’s great to continue our partnership with USA Hockey, which is an important plus for the overall state of the game,” said Craig Barnett, Executive Director of the ACHA. “We believe this agreement provides tremendous benefits to our member teams and helps elevate the profile of the ACHA across the country.”
Barnett continued, “The ACHA is proud to be the only college division under the proven USA Hockey ladder of development path that provides a natural advancement from youth, high school, and junior hockey for prospects to continue playing college hockey while earning their college degree.”
“We are excited to expand our longstanding partnership with USA Hockey,” said Paul Hebert, ACHA President. “The ACHA looks forward to working alongside USA Hockey to promote the game of hockey and to remind everyone of the incredible opportunities that the ACHA provides to young men and women who want to play competitive college hockey while earning their degree.”
The ACHA provides the infrastructure for non-varsity collegiate ice hockey and includes more than 450 teams through three men’s and two women’s divisions. The ACHA was founded with 15 charter members in 1991 and quickly grew to over 150 teams in three men’s division. A women’s division was added in 2000 with a second women’s division starting in 2006-07.
Under the agreement, USA Hockey will collaborate with the ACHA to provide support and resources, including through coaching and officiating education and player safety initiatives. The organizations will also work together to promote college hockey and showcase the many opportunities that are provided on campuses through the ACHA.
“We’re excited to continue our relationship and utilize the resources available through USA Hockey to positively contribute to all the great things done through the ACHA,” said Don Mulder, Vice President of USA Hockey.
“The ACHA can be extremely proud of the great opportunities it provides and we’re excited to continue our partnership,” said Kevin Erlenbach, Assistant Executive Director of USA Hockey. “With the leadership of Craig (Barnett) and his team, the support of member clubs, and the fans on campuses across North America, the ACHA is a wonderful home for so many college students seeking to continue to play hockey while getting their education.”
The 2022-23 ACHA season recently concluded with champions crowned in Men’s Division I (Minot State University), Women’s Division I (Liberty University), Men’s Division II (University of Massachusetts), Women’s Division II (Sault College) and Men’s Division III (University of Michigan).
For more information, please contact ACHA Executive Director Craig Barnett at cbarnett@achahockey.org.
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ABOUT USA HOCKEY
USA Hockey, established on October 29, 1937, and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, provides the foundation for the sport of ice hockey in America; helps young people become leaders, sometimes Olympic or Paralympic heroes; and connects the game at every level while promoting a lifelong love of the sport. USA Hockey, the National Governing Body for the sport in the United States, is more than a million strong, including players, coaches, officials and volunteers that span all 50 states. For more information, visit usahockey.com
ABOUT THE 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 completed its 32nd season in March 2023. For more information, visit achahockey.org.
