British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League
The British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) is a university hockey league based in British Columbia. The BCIHL was created with the purpose of offering a venue for competitive, high-calibre hockey for players beyond their junior hockey careers.
Current season, competition or edition: | |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2006 |
| No. of teams | 4 |
| Country | Canada |
| Most recent champion(s) | Trinity Western University (2017-18) |
| Most titles | Selkirk College (4) |
| Official website | BCIHL.ca |
The league operates as one of two Division 2 leagues in Canada when compared to the Division 1 U Sports league, the other being Alberta's ACAC. BCIHL teams however regularly play U Sports and NCAA teams.
Each BCIHL team plays a 24-game league schedule, with the top four teams qualifying for the playoffs. Beginning in 2012, the playoff format has consisted of a best-of-three semifinal round, and a best-of-three championship series. Prior to 2012 the championship had been decided through a round-robin tournament.
History
In 2011, the BCIHL accepted its first US-based team in Eastern Washington University, which had previously played in the American Collegiate Hockey Association at the Division II level. Before 2011, the BCIHL consisted entirely of teams from British Columbia. The 2016–17 season would see the BCIHL get its first NHL alumni as former Montreal Canadiens forward Patrick Holland would join the University of Victoria.[1] Vancouver Island University was confirmed as the sixth team to join the BCIHL in 2017, and will be joining the league for the 2017/2018 season.[2]
Teams
| Institution | Location | Joined BCIHL | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selkirk College |  |
2007 | 4 |
| Simon Fraser University | |
2006 | 3 |
| University of Victoria | |
2006 | 4 |
| Vancouver Island University | |
2017 | 0 |
Former teams
| Institution | Location | Joined BCIHL | Year Left |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity Western University | |
2006 | 2020 |
| Eastern Washington University |  |
2011 | 2018 |
| University of the Fraser Valley | |
2006 | 2011 |
| University of Northern British Columbia | |
2006 | 2007 |
| Okanagan College | |
2009 | 2012 |
| Thompson Rivers University | |
2009 | 2014 |
Championship Results by Year
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | University of Victoria | Simon Fraser University | 4-0 (round robin) |
| 2007–08 | Simon Fraser University | University of the Fraser Valley | 3-1 (round robin) |
| 2008–09 | University of Victoria | Simon Fraser University | 3-1 (round robin) |
| 2009–10 | Simon Fraser University | Thompson Rivers University | 3-1 (round robin) |
| 2010–11 | Simon Fraser University | Thompson Rivers University | 3-1 (round robin) |
| 2011–12 | University of Victoria | Simon Fraser University | 4-0 (round robin) |
| 2012–13 | Selkirk College[3] | Simon Fraser University | 2-0 (best-of 3) |
| 2013–14 | Selkirk College[4] | Trinity Western University | 2-0 (best-of 3) |
| 2014–15 | Selkirk College[5] | Simon Fraser University | 2-0 (best-of 3) |
| 2015–16 | Selkirk College | Trinity Western University | 2-0 (best-of 3) |
| 2016–17 | University of Victoria | Trinity Western University | 2-1 (best-of 3) |
| 2017–18 | Trinity Western University | Selkirk College | 2-0 (best-of 3) |
| 2018-19 | Trinity Western University | Vancouver Island University | 2-0 (best-of 3) |
Notable players
- Patrick Holland - Montreal Canadiens
- Jordan Wood - Huntsville Havoc
- Anthony Collins - Rapid City Rush
- James Isaacs - Fife Flyers
References
- http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/former-hab-holland-finds-a-home-with-vikes-hockey-team-1.2252855
- http://www.bcihl.ca/leagues/newsletter.cfm?clientID=3692&leagueID=11139&page=98489
- "BCIHL season wraps-up: Selkirk wins championship". HockeyNow. 21 April 2013. Archived from the original on 8 January 2015.
- "Selkirk College Saints Repeat as BCIHL Champions". Selkirk College. 17 March 2014.
- "2015 BCIHL Playoffs". BCIHL.ca. BCIHL. Retrieved 2015-04-23.