The Central Collegiate Women's Hockey Association (CCWHA) is a non-profit ice hockey league for college club teams based at Midwestern United States schools. It was formed in October 1996. CCWHA is the largest women's collegeiate league in North America. All teams in the league are also required to be members of the ACHA that provides the teams with USA Hockey insurance and other member benefits.
The CCWHA was established with the goal of encouraging and improving opportunities in ice hockey for women; developing and encouraging sportsmanship among all players for the betterment of their physical and social well-being; and conducting an organized League wherein women enjoy recreational and competitive ice hockey. The CCWHA season runs from September to late February/early March with an annual tournament at the end of each season for each division. Winners of each division are awarded an automatic bid to the ACHA National tournament. All teams benefit by scheduling games against each other in the League and the recognition of the League at local and national levels.
Current members Division I InstitutionLocationAffiliationSchool EnrollmentTeam FoundedJoined CCWHATeam NicknameJoined LeagueJoined D1Adrian CollegeAdrian, MichiganPrivate1,040201220122012BulldogsAquinas CollegeGrand Rapids, MichiganPrivate2,001201520152017SaintsDavenport UniversityCaledonia, MichiganPrivate12,471201320132013PanthersEastern Michigan UniversityYpsilanti, MichiganPublic12,663202520262026EaglesGrand Valley State UniversityAllendale, MichiganPublic23,892200720072007LakersIndiana TechFort Wayne, IndianaPrivate6,109202120212021WarriorsLake Superior State UniversitySault Ste. MariePublic1,600202120212023LakersMiami UniversityOxford, OhioPublic18,840201020112011Red HawksMichigan State UniversityEast Lansing, MichiganPublic46,04519951996* 2007*1996 2007SpartansPenn State UniversityUniversity Park, PennsylvaniaPublic40,693201220202020Lady Ice LionsUniversity of MichiganAnn Arbor, MichiganPublic40,042199519961996WolverinesUniversity of Michigan-DearbornDearborn, MIPublic8,005201920192019Wolverines *Michigan State (D1) left the league in 2004 and rejoined at a later date.#Roosevelt acquired Robert Morris's women's hockey team.
Division II InstitutionLocationAffiliationSchool EnrollmentTeam FoundedJoined CCWHATeam NicknameJoined LeagueJoined D2Adrian College** (DII)Adrian, MichiganPrivate1,040201720172017BulldogsAurora UniversityAurora, IllinoisPrivate6,165202320232023SpartansBowling Green State UniversityBowling Green, OhioPublic20,395199620202020FalconsCentral Michigan UniversityMount Pleasant, MichiganPublic17,344200820122014ChippewasLawrence Tech UniversitySouthfield, MichiganPrivate3,154202220222022Blue DevilsLoyola University ChicagoChicago, IllinoisPrivate15,068201420142014RamblersMiami UniversityOxford, OhioPublic19,752201020112019RedHawksMichigan State University** (DII)East Lansing, MichiganPublic46,04520042004*2014SpartansNorthern Michigan UniversityMarquette, MichiganPublic9,400200120012014WildcatsUniversity of Notre DameSouth Bend, IndianaPrivate11,73320002002*2014Fighting IrishSault CollegeSault Ste. Marie, OntarioPublic4,500201820192019Cougars *MSU and Notre Dame both left the league (2006 and 2004 respectively) and returned when the 2nd division was formed in 2014.
**Adrian College and Michigan State University both field a Division I and Division II team in the CCWHA and ACHA. Teams have separate coaching staffs and rosters.
Former members InstitutionYearsNew ConferenceClassification University of Illinois 1996 - 2007 Independent N/A Lake Forest College 1996 - 2000 NCHA NCAA DIIILake Superior State University1999 - 2001 2014 - 2016Ceased operationsN/A Lindenwood University 2007 - 2011 CHA NCAA DI Oakland University 2000 - 2005 Ceased operations N/AUniversity of Michigan (Flint)2015 - 2017Ceased operationsN/ARobert Morris University (IL) 2010 - 2020 Merged with Roosevelt University N/A University of Wisconsin 1996 - 1998 Independent ACHA DI Western Michigan University 1996 - 2011 Ceased operations N/A
CCWHA Championship History The inaugural playoff, held at Michigan State University (Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing) in February of 1997 was the capstone of the 1996-97 CCWHA inaugural season. The eight teams that comprised the CCWHA that season included the following schools: Ohio State University, University of Michigan, Michigan State, University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin, Western Michigan University, Lake Forest College and Bowling Green State University. Division I Year Champion Runner-up Location 1997 Ohio State Michigan East Lansing, MI 1998 Ohio State Western Michigan Unknown 1999 Ohio State Michigan State East Lansing, MI 2000 Michigan Western Michigan East Lansing, MI 2001 Michigan Western Michigan Sault Ste. Marie, MI 2002 Michigan State Michigan Kalamazoo, MI 2003 Michigan State Michigan East Lansing, MI 2004 Oakland Michigan State Marquette, MI 2005 Western Michigan Michigan Kalkaska, MI 2006 Western Michigan Michigan Kalkaska, MI 2007 Ohio State Western Michigan Findlay, OH 2008 Lindenwood Michigan Findlay, OH 2009 Lindenwood Michigan State Kalamazoo, MI 2010 Lindenwood Michigan State Kalamazoo, MI 2011 Lindenwood Grand Valley Holland, MI 2012 Robert Morris (IL) Michigan Holland, MI 2013 Michigan State Robert Morris (IL) Flint, MI 2014 Miami Adrian Flint, MI 2015 Miami Michigan Flint, MI 2016 Grand Valley Miami Flint, MI 2017 Miami Michigan State South Bend, IN 2018 Adrian Miami Kalamazoo, MI 2019 Adrian Michigan State Kalamazoo, MI 2020 Adrian Miami Burton, MI 2022 Adrian Indiana Tech Burton, MI 2023 Adrian Indiana Tech Burton, MI2024AdrianIndiana TechBurton, MI2025AdrianUniversity of Michigan-DearbornLivonia, MI2026University of Michigan-DearbornIndiana TechDearborn, MI
Division II Year Champion Runner-up Location 2015 Michigan State Northern Michigan Mount Pleasant, MI 2016 Northern Michigan Notre Dame Flint, MI 2017 Northern Michigan Notre Dame South Bend, IN 2018 Loyola Chicago Notre Dame Kalamazoo, MI 2019 Adrian Loyola Chicago Kalamazoo, MI 2020 Northern Michigan Michigan State Burton, MI 2022 Lake Superior State Sault College Burton, MI 2023 Sault College Adrian College Burton, MI2024Sault CollegeAdrian CollegeBurton, MI2025Sault CollegeCentral Michigan UniversityLivonia, MI2026Ohio StateNorthern MichiganDearborn, MI
CCWHA Victors + Totals Team Titles YearsAdrian 7 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025Lindenwood 4 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011Ohio State 4 1997, 1998, 1999, 2007Michigan State 3 2002, 2003, 2013Miami 3 2014, 2015, 2017Northern Michigan 3 2016, 2017, 2020Western Michigan 2 2005, 2006Michigan 2 2000, 2001Adrian (D2) 1 2019Loyola Chicago 1 2018Grand Valley 1 2016Michigan State (D2) 1 2015Robert Morris (IL) 1 2012Oakland 1 2004
National Championships CCWHA Teams have combined to win eleven national championships, including ten of the seventeen ACHA Women's Division I national championships since the ACHA began sanctioning women's hockey in 2000–01. Adrian College - 2024 Miami (OH) - 2014, 2016, 2017 Michigan State - 2003, 2011 Lindenwood - 2008, 2009, 2010 Robert Morris (IL) - 2005, 2007 Western Michigan - 1997 (pre ACHA known as Women's Collegiate Club Championship)
World University Games Selections
Since 2011, the American Collegiate Hockey Association has supplied players for the United States team at the World University Games women's hockey tournament, held biennially and as part of the multi-sport event for college and university student-athletes. Miami's 11 player selections (through 2017) lead the conference and are tied for the national lead, and RedHawks coach Scott Hicks has also been picked as an assistant coach on two separate occasions. Michigan State ranks next with eight player selections, although the Spartans hold the top spot in a couple key distinctions: MSU is one of just two schools nationally to have at least one player on each WUG team since 2011, and is also tied for the national lead with eight unique players who have traveled to the tournament, as none of MSU's eight picks are repeat selections.
Year Location Player School Result 2011 Erzurum, Turkey Vince O'Mara (asst. coach) Lindenwood Fourth Place Cory Whitaker (asst. coach) Grand Valley Allysson Arcibal Lindenwood Rachel Black Robert Morris (IL) Shea Crawford Lindenwood Charlotte Hoium Michigan State Becky Katz Robert Morris (IL) Nicole Konsdorf Lindenwood Shelby Kucharski Grand Valley Chelsea Minnie Grand Valley Emily Nelson Michigan Terra Payne Michigan State Samantha Redick Lindenwood Ashley Rumsey Grand Valley Ramey Weaver Robert Morris (IL) Erica Wynn Lindenwood Christina Young Michigan State 2013 Trentino, Italy Rob Blackburn (asst. coach) Michigan Bronze Medal Katie Augustine Miami Kalli Bates Michigan Jennifer Boniecki Ohio State Staci Burlingame Michigan State Kristin Griebe Michigan Monica Korzon Michigan Morgan McGrath Miami Jessica Merritt Robert Morris (IL) Andrea Stewart Michigan State Ramey Weaver Robert Morris (IL) Hayley Williams Robert Morris (IL) 2015 Granada, Spain Scott Hicks (asst. coach) Miami Fifth Place Amanda Antos Adrian Katie Augustine Miami Maria Barlow Michigan State Rachael Booth Miami Eleanor Chalifoux Michigan Monica Korzon Michigan Kaley Mooney Miami Morgan McGrath Miami Kendra Myers Grand Valley Caitlin Nosanov Davenport Corey Robison Grand Valley Hayley Williams Miami 2017 Almaty, Kazakhstan Scott Hicks (asst. coach) Miami Bronze Medal Brett Berger (asst. coach) Adrian Lauren Allen Grand Valley Katie Augustine Miami Rachael Booth Miami Sabrena Camp Adrian Kelsey Jaeckle Michigan State Britt Levasseur Adrian Nicole Matthews Miami Kendra Myers Grand Valley Jessie Rushing Adrian Alyssa Visalli Miami Maddie Wolsmann Michigan State
References
External links Official Website ACHA Women's DI