NCAA Division I independent schools are teams that compete in NCAA ice hockey but are not members of a conference. There are several current schools who, at one time or another, competed as Division I independents. Beginning in the 2025–26 season, the independent schools will compete for the United Collegiate Hockey Cup, an end-of-season tournament that will function as a de facto conference championship.

Current independent programs Men Institution Team Location Founded Type Enrollment Years Primary Conference Long Island University Sharks Brooklyn & Brookville, New York 1926 Private 15,197 2020–present Northeast Conference University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves Anchorage, Alaska 1954 Public 15,174 1984–19851988–19932022–present GNAC University of Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks Fairbanks, Alaska 1917 Public 6,813 1925–19851988–19932021–present GNAC Lindenwood University Lions , Missouri 1827 Private 6,491 2022–present Ohio Valley Conference Stonehill College Skyhawks Easton, Massachusetts 1948 Private 2,500 2022–present Northeast Conference

Future independent programs Men Institution Team Location Founded Type Enrollment Beginning Play Primary Conference Maryville University Saints Town and Country, Missouri 1872 Private 8,811 2027 (planned) Great Lakes Valley Conference Tennessee State University Tigers Nashville, Tennessee 1912 Public 8,198 TBD Ohio Valley Conference

History of current independents

Alaska played infrequently as an independent program prior to 1985. It returned to independent status after the Great West Hockey Conference dissolved in 1988 and then joined the CCHA in 1995. The team was one of two final members of the men's division of the WCHA in 2021 and formally dissolved the men's side of the conference in 2021 (the WCHA remains in operation as a women-only league).

Alaska-Anchorage first moved to D1 status in hockey in 1984, and played its first couple years as an independent before joining the newly founded GWHC alongside the Nanooks. After it dissolved, the Seawolves also played as an independent before joining the WCHA in 1994, around the same time Alaska joined the nearby CCHA. In 2020, the University of Alaska announced that UAA hockey would be cut after the 2020–21 season due to a reduction in state funding unless the program could raise 3 million dollars, and the program went on hiatus that year while its future was uncertain. Ultimately, the program was saved, and it returned to play in the 2022–23 season as an independent, following the dissolution of the men's side of its former conference, the WCHA.

The LIU Sharks launched their men's program for the 2020–21 season, a year after starting a women's ice hockey program.

With the 2020–21 season dramatically impacted by COVID-19, LIU was in a scheduling alliance with a Division I conferences for that season, Atlantic Hockey.

In 2021–22, Lindenwood fielded two separate men's club teams, each playing at a different level of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), which governs the sport at club level. On March 23, 2022, Lindenwood announced that it would launch a Division I men's varsity program starting in the 2022–23 season, while maintaining its ACHA program. This announcement came shortly after the school announced it was starting a transition from Division II to Division I in July 2022, joining the non-hockey Ohio Valley Conference.

On April 5, 2022, Stonehill, then a member of the D-II Northeast-10 Conference (NE-10), announced it was joining the Northeast Conference (which also does not sponsor ice hockey) that July, starting its own transition to D-I. Before this announcement, Stonehill had been one of seven NE-10 members that played men's ice hockey under Division II regulations, despite the NCAA not sponsoring a championship event at that level. (All other D-II schools with varsity men's ice hockey play under D-I regulations.)

Women No women's program has competed as an independent in the National Collegiate division of women's ice hockey, the de facto equivalent of Division I in that sport, since the 2018–19 season. The NCAA has never sponsored a Division II championship in the sport, although it does sponsor a Division III championship.

Five schools competed as independents in the 2018–19 season, all participating in the nascent New England Women's Hockey Alliance (NEWHA), which had originally been established in 2017 as a scheduling alliance among all of the then-current National Collegiate independents. The NEWHA initially included six schools, but Holy Cross left after the inaugural 2017–18 NEWHA season to join Hockey East. The NEWHA officially organized as a conference in advance of the 2018–19 season, but was not officially recognized by the NCAA as a Division I league until the 2019–20 season, by which time the newly launched LIU program had joined as the sixth member.

The newest National Collegiate hockey school is Assumption, which joined the NEWHA for administrative purposes in 2022 but did not start conference play until launching its varsity team a year later. Also, Robert Morris, which had dropped the sport after the 2020–21 season due to COVID-19 impacts, resumed play in 2023–24, returning to its previous conference of College Hockey America (CHA). After the 2023–24 season, CHA merged with the men-only Atlantic Hockey Association, which RMU had rejoined in 2023, to form Atlantic Hockey America. RMU continues to field both teams in the merged conference.

Arenas Carlson CenterFairbanks, Alaska4,595 Seawolf Sports ComplexAnchorage, Alaska800Centene Community Ice CenterMaryland Heights, Missouri2,500Northwell Health Ice CenterEast Meadow, New York500Bridgewater Ice ArenaBridgewater, Massachusetts1,000

Current programs which were at one point independent

Men School Years Subsequent conference Notes Air Force Falcons 1968–1999 CHA Joined the Atlantic Hockey Association in 2006. After the 2024 merger of the Association and CHA, now plays in Atlantic Hockey America.Arizona State Sun Devils2015–2023NCHCJoined the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) in 2024. Army Black Knights 1903–19611991–1999 ECACCHA Joined the Atlantic Hockey Association in 2000. After the 2024 merger of the Association and CHA, now plays in Atlantic Hockey America. Bemidji State Beavers 1947–1950 dropped program Bemidji returned to Division I in 1999 as a charter member of College Hockey America, and moved to the WCHA for 2010–11. The Beavers were among the schools that revived the CCHA in 2021. Boston College Eagles 1917–1961 ECAC Currently competes in Hockey East. Boston University Terriers 1917–19431945–1961 suspended programECAC Currently competes in Hockey East. Brown Bears 1897–19061926–1961 dropped programECAC Clarkson Golden Knights 1920–1950 Tri-State League Clarkson was a member of the Tri-State League concurrently with ECAC from 1961 until the Tri-State's dissolution in 1972. Colgate Raiders 1915–19171920–19501957–1961 dropped programTri-State LeagueECAC Colgate dropped their program in 1951 due to the lack of an indoor facility but returned to the ice in 1957. Colorado College Tigers 1937–19511958–1959 MCHLWCHA Joined the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) in 2013. Cornell Big Red 1900–19031906–19161920–19311933–19481957–1961 dropped programsuspended programsuspended programdropped programECAC Dartmouth Big Green 1905–19181919–1961 suspended programECAC Denver Pioneers 1949–19511958–1959 MCHLWCHA Joined the NCHC in 2013. Harvard Crimson 1897–19171918–19431945–1961 suspended programsuspended programECAC UMass Minutemen 1908–19391947–19511953–19611993–1994 dropped programdropped programECAC HockeyHockey East Joined ECAC 2 in 1964. Dropped program from 1979 until 1993. Merrimack Warriors 1956–1961 ECAC Hockey Joined ECAC 2 in 1964. Returned to Division I in 1985 as a D1 independent then joined Hockey East in 1989. Miami RedHawks 1978–1980 CCHA Joined the NCHC in 2013. Michigan Wolverines 1922–1951 MCHL Was also a member of the Big Ten from 1958 through 1981. Moved to CCHA in 1981. Joined the new Big Ten men's hockey league in 2013. Michigan State Spartans 1921–19301949–1951 dropped programMCHL Was also a member of the Big Ten from 1958 through 1981. Moved to CCHA in 1981. Joined the new Big Ten men's hockey league in 2013. Michigan Tech Huskies 1919–19511958–1959 MCHLWCHA Played in the CCHA from 1981–84. Re-joined the WCHA in 1984; became part of the revived CCHA in 2021. Minnesota Golden Gophers 1921–1951 MCHL Was also a member of the Big Ten from 1958 through 1981. Joined the new Big Ten men's hockey league in 2013. Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs 1930–19321946–19491961–1965 dropped programMIACWCHA Joined the NCHC in 2013. Minnesota State Mavericks 1996–1999 WCHA After moving up from Division II and before joining the WCHA. Became a member of the revived CCHA in 2021. New Hampshire Wildcats 1924–1961 ECAC Currently competes in Hockey East. Niagara Purple Eagles 1997–1999 CHA Niagara began varsity hockey in 1997, and became a charter member of the CHA in 1999. They moved to the Atlantic Hockey Association for 2010–11, and became members of Atlantic Hockey America upon the Association's merger with CHA after the 2023–24 season. North Dakota Fighting Hawks 1929–19361946–19511958–1959 dropped programMCHLWCHA Joined the NCHC in 2013. Northeastern Huskies 1929–1961 ECAC Hockey Currently competes in Hockey East. Northern Michigan Wildcats 1976–1977 CCHA Joined the WCHA in 2013; joined the revived CCHA in 2021. Notre Dame Fighting Irish 1912–19271968–19711984–1991 dropped programWCHACCHA Left the CCHA in 2013 for Hockey East; moved to the Big Ten in 2017. Ohio State Buckeyes 1963–19711973–1975 CCHACCHA Joined the new Big Ten men's hockey league in 2013. Penn State Nittany Lions 1940–19441946–19472012–2013 suspended programdropped programBig Ten In September 2010, Penn State announced they would add men's and women's NCAA Division I hockey programs in 2012, competing in their first season as an independent. In March 2011, the Big Ten Conference announced that Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State would leave the CCHA, and Minnesota and Wisconsin announced that they would leave the WCHA to form a Big Ten hockey conference to begin play in the 2013–14 season. Princeton Tigers 1899–1961 ECAC Providence Friars 1926–19271952–19541955–1961 dropped programNortheast LeagueECAC Currently competes in Hockey East. RPI Engineers 1901–1950 Tri-State League Rensselaer was a member of the Tri-State League concurrently with ECAC from 1961 until the Tri-State's dissolution in 1972. RIT Tigers 2005–2006 Atlantic Hockey Played first year of its probation period after joining Division I as an independent. Became members of Atlantic Hockey America after Atlantic Hockey's merger with CHA in 2024. Sacred Heart Pioneers 1993–1998 MAAC Became founding members of the Atlantic Hockey Association when it spun off from the MAAC after the 2002–03 season. Sacred Heart's membership transferred to Atlantic Hockey America upon the Association's 2024 merger with CHA. St. Cloud State Huskies 1931–19421946–19611987–1990 dropped programCollege DivisionWCHA Dropped their program during World War II. Relegated to second-tier level when the division was formalized in 1961. Joined the NCHC in 2013. St. Lawrence Saints 1925–19301938–1950 dropped programTri-State League St. Lawrence was a member of the Tri-State League concurrently with ECAC from 1961 until the Tri-State's dissolution in 1972. Union Dutchmen 1903–19041905–19111919–19201921–19421947–1949 dropped programdropped programsuspended programsuspended programdropped program Resumed playing in 1975 with ECAC 2. Returned to Division I in 1991 with ECAC Hockey. Wisconsin Badgers 1921–19351963–1969 dropped programWCHA Joined the new Big Ten men's hockey league in 2013. Yale Bulldogs 1895–1961 ECAC Yale is the oldest active NCAA program.

Women