Empire Collegiate Hockey Conference

Empire Collegiate Hockey Conference
Empire Collegiate Hockey Conference
Established	2009
Association	Collegiate Hockey Federation
Division	Division III
Members	8
Sports fielded	Men's ice hockey;
Region	Northeast
Champions	Fairfield Stags; (2nd title)
Most titles	Farmingdale State Rams; (7 titles)
Website	Official website

The Empire Collegiate Hockey Conference (ECHC) is a collegiate hockey conference that plays in Division III of the Collegiate Hockey Federation (CHF). Established in May 2009, The University of Albany, Farmingdale State College, Hofstra University, Union College, Skidmore College, Southern Connecticut State, Siena College and Fairfield University set out to establish an organization committed to providing the most comprehensive hockey experience for the elite division 3 non-varsity collegiate hockey programs in the Atlantic Region. The ECHC provides the framework and structure to support the highest level of growth of its member's hockey programs, through league, team, player, and coach's development. Standards of play and the opportunity to compete both regionally and nationally within the CHF is considered paramount.

The ECHC, in accordance with the NCAA, and CHF emphasizes academic performance, institutional sanction, and eligibility criteria, to ensure the highest quality of hockey and curricular integrity. This extremely competitive hockey conference is highly selective about its members and their commitment to maintaining the highest standards of competition. All ECHC teams are required to be members in good standing as tournament bound teams within the CHF and make continuous strives to improve their hockey program as well as our Conference, and the regional hockey community at large. Since 2009, ECHC teams have represented the Atlantic Region in every ACHA National Tournament; and sent 5 programs to the CHF's inaugural Federation Cup in 2020. The ECHC has had 11 players named to the ACHA National Select Team; 3 ACHA All Americans; 1 National Player of the Year; 1 National Coach of the Year; hosted the 2012 National Championship Tournament; and annually hosts the most competitive non-varsity college showcase in the country, “The Empire Classic”.

In the fall of 2019, the Empire Collegiate Hockey Conference welcomed Ramapo College, Hofstra University, Fordham University, and Stony Brook University to its family, solidifying the conference as the premier conference in the Collegiate Hockey Federation. The conference is made up of teams on the Atlantic coast, specifically colleges and universities in Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey.^[1]

Members[]

School	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Nickname	Website
Hofstra University	Hempstead, New York	1935	Private	Pride	[1]
Fairfield University	Fairfield, CT	1942	Private (Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities)	Stags	[2]
Farmingdale State College	East Farmingdale, NY	1912	Public (State University of New York)	Rams	[3]
Fordham University	New York, NY	1841	Private (Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities)	Rams	[4]
Quinnipiac University	Hamden, CT & North Haven, CT	1929	Private	Bobcats	[5]
Ramapo College	Mahwah, New Jersey	1969	Public (New Jersey's public system of higher education)	Roadrunners	[6]
Stony Brook University	Stony Brook, NY	1957	Public (State University of New York)	Seawolves	[7]
Southern Connecticut State University	New Haven, CT	1893	Public (Connecticut State University System)	Owls	[8]

Former members[]

School	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Nickname	Website
State University of New York Maritime College	Throggs Neck, New York	1874	Public (State University of New York)	Privateers	[9]
Skidmore College	Saratoga Springs, New York	1903	Private	Thoroughbreds	[10]
Union College	Schenectady, New York	1795	Private	Dutchmen	[11]
University at Albany	Albany, NY	1844	Public (State University of New York)	Great Danes	[12]