Central Collegiate Hockey Association

Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA)
Established	1971
Dissolved	2013
Association	NCAA
Division	Division I
Sports fielded	Ice hockey (men's: yes; women's: no)
Region	Midwestern United States and Alaska
Headquarters	Farmington Hills, Michigan

The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) was a college athletic conference that participated in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. The majority of its members were located in the states of Michigan and Ohio, although it also had teams located in Alaska, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Nebraska over the course of its existence.

The CCHA was disbanded after the 2012–13 season as the result of a conference realignment stemming from the Big Ten Conference (of which three CCHA schools; Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State, were primary members) choosing to sponsor Division I ice hockey beginning in the 2013-14 season. The remaining CCHA members received invitations to other conferences, such as the newly formed National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC), Hockey East, and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), which itself had been depleted by the Big Ten and NCHC. The conference's last ever game was the final of the 2013 CCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, where Notre Dame beat Michigan 3-1 to win the final Mason Cup championship.

History

Realignment and discontinuation

Pennsylvania State University announced on September 17, 2010 the transition of its men's and women's American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) programs to NCAA Division I status in 2012.^[1] Just over a month earlier, then-commissioner Tom Anastos publicly stated that the CCHA would strongly consider adding Penn State as the conference's 12th member.^[2] Instead, the league was left to deal with the imminent departures of Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State when the Big Ten Conference disclosed on March 21, 2011 its intention to establish a men's ice hockey circuit to begin play in the 2013–14 season, as the conference now had enough hockey teams to earn an automatic bid in the NCAA tournament for its champion.^[3] Joining the existing CCHA members will be the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin from the WCHA, as well as Penn State.^[3]

The next school slated to leave the CCHA in 2013 was Miami University which became a charter member of the NCHC on July 15, 2011.^[4] Western Michigan accepted an invitation to join the new league just over two months later on September 22.^[5]

The demise of the CCHA was further accelerated when five members decided to move to the WCHA following the 2012–13 campaign. Northern Michigan University, returning to the WCHA after leaving in 1997, was the first to make the announcement on July 20,^[6] followed by Alaska, Ferris State and Lake Superior State on August 26^[7] and Bowling Green on October 4.^[8]

Notre Dame accepted an invitation to the Hockey East Association in a press conference on October 5, 2011.^[9]

Locations of final Central Collegiate Hockey Association members.

Members

Institution	City	State	Nickname	Founded	Affiliation	Joined	Left	Subsequent conference	Current conference
University of Alaska Fairbanks	Fairbanks	Alaska	Nanooks	1917	Public	1995	2013	WCHA
Bowling Green State University	Bowling Green	Ohio	Falcons	1910	Public	1971	2013	WCHA
Ferris State University	Big Rapids	Michigan	Bulldogs	1884	Public	1979	2013	WCHA
University of Illinois at Chicago	Chicago	Illinois	Flames	1946	Public	1982	1996	dropped program as school sponsored sport
Kent State University	Kent	Ohio	Golden Flashes	1910	Public	1992	1994	dropped program as school sponsored sport
Lake Superior State University	Sault Ste. Marie	Michigan	Lakers	1946	Public	1972	2013	WCHA
Miami University	Oxford	Ohio	RedHawks	1809	Public	1980	2013	NCHC
University of Michigan	Ann Arbor	Michigan	Wolverines	1817	Public	1981	2013	Big Ten
Michigan State University	East Lansing	Michigan	Spartans	1855	Public	1981	2013	Big Ten
Michigan Technological University	Houghton	Michigan	Huskies	1885	Public	1981	1984	WCHA
University of Nebraska Omaha	Omaha	Nebraska	Mavericks	1908	Public	1999	2010	WCHA	NCHC
Northern Michigan University	Marquette	Michigan	Wildcats	1899	Public	1977 1997	1984 2013	WCHA
University of Notre Dame	South Bend	Indiana	Fighting Irish	1842	Private/Catholic	1981 1992	1983 2013	Hockey East
Ohio University	Athens	Ohio	Bobcats	1804	Public	1971	1973	dropped program as school sponsored sport
Ohio State University	Columbus	Ohio	Buckeyes	1870	Public	1971 1975	1973 2013	Big Ten
Saint Louis University	St. Louis	Missouri	Billikens	1818	Private/Catholic	1971	1979	dropped program as school sponsored sport
Western Michigan University	Kalamazoo	Michigan	Broncos	1903	Public	1975	2013	NCHC

Membership timeline

Regular-season champions

1972 Ohio State/Saint Louis 1973 Saint Louis 1974 Lake Superior State/Saint Louis 1975 Saint Louis 1976 Bowling Green 1977 Saint Louis 1978 Bowling Green 1979 Bowling Green 1980 Northern Michigan 1981 Northern Michigan 1982 Bowling Green 1983 Bowling Green 1984 Bowling Green 1985 Michigan State 1986 Michigan State 1987 Bowling Green 1988 Lake Superior State 1989 Michigan State 1990 Michigan State 1991 Lake Superior State 1992 Lake Superior State

1993 Miami 1994 Michigan 1995 Michigan 1996 Lake Superior State/Michigan 1997 Michigan 1998 Michigan State 1999 Michigan State 2000 Michigan 2001 Michigan State 2002 Michigan 2003 Ferris State 2004 Michigan 2005 Michigan 2006 Miami 2007 Notre Dame 2008 Michigan 2009 Notre Dame 2010 Miami 2011 Michigan 2012 Ferris State 2013 Miami

Awards

At the conclusion of each regular season schedule the coaches of each CCHA team voted which players they choose to be on the three All-Conference Teams:^[10] first team, second team and rookie team. Additionally they vote to award up to 9 of the 12 individual trophies to an eligible player at the same time (depending upon the year). The CCHA also awards a Perani Cup, a Humanitarian Award, which are awarded rather than voted upon, and a Most Valuable Player in Tournament which is voted on at the conclusion of the conference tournament. None of the individual awards conferred by the CCHA have been given for the entire existence of the conference. Only the Tournament MVP was awarded in CCHA's inaugural season, but the award was discontinued thereafter until 1982.^[11][12][13]

All-Conference Teams Award Inaugural Year First Team 1972–73 Second Team 1972–73 Rookie Team 1988–89 All-Tournament Team 1972

Individual Awards Award Inaugural Year Player of the Year 1976–77 Rookie of the Year 1978–79 Coach of the Year 1975–76 Best Defensive Forward 1989–90 Best Offensive Defenseman 1989–90 Best Defensive Defenseman 1989–90 Best Goaltender 2000–01 Terry Flanagan Memorial Award 1992–93 Ilitch Humanitarian Award 2000–01 Perani Cup Champion 2002–03 Scholar-Athlete of the Year 2004–05 Most Valuable Player in Tournament 1972

All-Decade Teams

1970s All-Decade Team

1970s All-Decade Team^[14]

FIRST TEAM F Steve Bozek, 1978–81, Northern Michigan F Bill Joyce, 1976–80, Northern Michigan F John Markell, 1975–79, Bowling Green D Tom Laidlaw, 1976–80, Northern Michigan D Ken Morrow, 1975–79, Bowling Green G Mike Liut, 1973–77, Bowling Green

SECOND TEAM F Bob Dobek, 1972–75, Bowling Green F Rick Kennedy, 1971–75, St. Louis F Mark Wells, 1975–79, Bowling Green D Roger Archer, 1971–75, Bowling Green D Tom Davies, 1970–74, D, Lake Superior State D Don Waddell, 1976–80, Northern Michigan G Steve Weeks, 1976-1980, Northern Michigan

1980s All-Decade Team

1980s All-Decade Team^[14]

FIRST TEAM F Nelson Emerson, 1986–90, Bowling Green F George McPhee, 1978–82, Bowling Green F Kip Miller, 1986–90, Michigan State D Rob Blake, 1987–90, Bowling Green D Wayne Gagne, 1983–87, Western Michigan G Ron Scott, 1980–83, Michigan State

SECOND TEAM F Dan Dorion, 1982–86, Western Michigan F Brian Hills, 1979–83, Bowling Green F Paul Pooley, 1981–84, Ohio State D Garry Galley, 1981–84, Bowling Green D Don McSween, 1983–87, Michigan State G Gary Kruzich, 1983–87, Bowling Green

1990s All-Decade Team

1990s All-Decade Team^[14]

FIRST TEAM F Jim Dowd, 1987–91, Lake Superior State F Brendan Morrison, 1993–97, Michigan F Mike York, 1995–99, Michigan State D Keith Aldridge, 1992–96, Lake Superior State D Mark Astley, 1988–92, Lake Superior State G Marty Turco, 1994–98, Michigan

SECOND TEAM F Denny Felsner, 1988–92, Michigan F Brian Holzinger, 1991–95, Bowling Green F Dwayne Norris, 1988–92, Michigan State D Dan Boyle, 1994–98, Miami D Mike Weaver, 1996-00, Michigan State G Darrin Madeley, 1989–92, Lake Superior State

2000-2013 All-Decade Team

2000-2013 All-Decade Team^[15]

FIRST TEAM F T. J. Hensick, 2003–07, Michigan F Chris Kunitz, 1999-03, Ferris State F Kevin Porter, 2004–08, Michigan D Andy Greene, 2002–06, Miami D John-Michael Liles, 1999-03, Michigan State G Ryan Miller, 1999-02, Michigan State

SECOND TEAM F Ryan Jones, 2004–08, Miami F Andy Miele, 2007–11, Miami F Scott Parse, 2003–07, Omaha D Brad Fast, 1999-03, Michigan State D Greg Zanon, 1999-03, Omaha G Cody Reichard, 2008–12, Miami

References

1. "Penn State to Add Men's and Women's Varsity Ice Hockey," Pennsylvania State University Athletics, Friday, September 17, 2010.
2. Gholston, Sandy (August 10, 2010). "Anastos to the Detroit News: Penn State 'very attractive' to the CCHA". Mlive.com. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
3. Staff (March 21, 2011). "Big Ten confirms plan to sponsor hockey starting in 2013–14 season". USCHO. Retrieved March 21, 2011.
4. "New DI hockey conference formed," NCAA.com, Friday, July 15, 2011.
5. "WMU To Join National Collegiate Hockey Conference," Western Michigan University Athletics, Thursday, September 22, 2011.
6. "Northern Michigan to Rejoin WCHA Family," Western Collegiate Hockey Association press release, Wednesday, July 20, 2011.
7. "College hockey: Lake Superior State, Ferris State, Alaska-Fairbanks join WCHA," The Bemidji (MN) Pioneer, Saturday, August 27, 2011.
8. "Bowling Green State University to Join WCHA Family," Western Collegiate Hockey Association press release, Wednesday, October 4, 2011.
9. "Notre Dame joining Hockey East". Associated Press. October 5, 2011. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
10. "Henderson and Odegard Recipients of CCHA Major Awards". Alaska Nanooks. 2013-03-22. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
11. "CCHA Awards". College Hockey Historical Archive. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
12. "All-CCHA Teams". College Hockey Historical Archive. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
13. "CCHA All-Rookie Teams". College Hockey Historical Archive. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
14. "CCHA Announces All-Decade Teams". March 29, 2001.
15. "CCHA Names All-Decade Team for 2000-2013". January 23, 2013. Archived from the original on January 27, 2013.

External links

• Central Collegiate Hockey Association's Official Athletic Site