International Collegiate Hockey Association

The International Collegiate Hockey Association (ICHA) was an intercollegiate ice hockey conference from 1965-80 competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The conference had member schools in both Canada and the United States.

History

The league was founded in 1965 with member schools Bemidji State University, Lake Superior State University, Lakehead University, St. Cloud State University, and University of Wisconsin-Superior.

St. Cloud State dropped out of the league after four seasons in April 1969 due to lack of an indoor facility.[1][2]

In 1972-73, Lake Superior State played in both the ICHA and Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA).[3] In 1973, LSSU left the ICHA for the CCHA. The following season, the Lakers left the NAIA to become an NCAA Division I ice hockey program.

LSSU was replaced by the College of St. Scholastica starting in the 1972-73 season.

Lakehead left the ICHA after the 1976-77 season.

Decline and Disbandment

Following the departure of Lakehead, the ICHA made an attempt to add former member St. Cloud State plus Mankato State, Wisconsin-River Falls, and Wisconsin-Stout. Another proposal of the ICHA was to join the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for hockey only, which would have brought that league's hockey membership to 10 teams.[4] Neither plan came to fruition.

St. Scholastica left the conference following the 1977-78 season leaving the ICHA with just two members.

On June 1, 1980, Bemidji State and Wisconsin-Superior joined Mankato State University, St. Cloud State University, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and Wisconsin-River Falls to form the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association.[5]

Conference Champions
  • 1968 Lake Superior State
  • 1969 Bemidji State
  • 1970 Bemidji State/Lake Superior State
  • 1971 Bemidji State
  • 1972 Lake Superior State
  • 1973 Bemidji State/Lake Superior State
  • 1974 Bemidji State
  • 1975 St. Scholastica
  • 1976 Bemidji State
  • 1977 Bemidji State
  • 1978 Bemidji State
  • 1979 Bemidji State
  • 1980 Bemidji State

National Championships

The ICHA dominated the NAIA ice hockey tournament winning 12 of 13 national titles from 1968-80. All 13 championship games featured at least one ICHA team. Seven championships were an inter-conference match-up.

NAIA National Champions
YearChampion
1968Bemidji State
1969Bemidji State
1970Bemidji State
1971Bemidji State
1972Lake Superior State
1973Bemidji State
1974Lake Superior State
1975St. Scholastica
1976Wisconsin–Superior
1977St. Scholastica
1979Bemidji State
1980Bemidji State
gollark: That's inaccurate.
gollark: And potatOS is *mine*, thank you.
gollark: It's an "OS/Conveniently Self-Propagating System/Sandbox/Compilation of Useless Programs"™.
gollark: PotatOS is not a "virus".
gollark: OOP in action, I guess.

References
  1. "Veteran Beavers Hockey Sextet Opens Play Tonight". The Pioneer. Retrieved 2015-03-08.
  2. "Laker Icemen Set To Face Three New Powers on '69-'70 Slate". The Evening News. Retrieved 2015-03-08.
  3. "Moments In CCHA History". CCHA. 2009. Archived from the original on December 25, 2010. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
  4. "ICHA scoring race ends in three way tie, Horner top goalie". The Pioneer. Retrieved 2015-03-08.
  5. "NCHA History". Retrieved 2015-03-08.
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