What to know about how the NCAA new’s governance model impacts college hockey
Changes will streamline how changes are made in college hockey, and rules could look different in the men’s and women’s sides of the game.
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NCAA replaces PairWise with NCAA Power Index (NPI) for D-I men’s hockey championship tournament selections
At the latest meeting of the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Oversight Committee, the final vote for championship selection criteria was passed unanimously finalizing the use of the NCAA Power Index (NPI) for the 2025-26 season. The NPI replaces the PairWise, which had been in use since the 2013-14 season. One of the benefits … Read more
McKenna, odds-on favorite as No. 1 pick in 2026 NHL Draft, announces commitment to Penn State for ’25-26 season
Gavin McKenna, the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft after racking up the accolades in the WHL the past few seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers, announced his decision to play the 2025-26 season at Penn State Tuesday night on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.” McKenna picked the Nittany Lions over Michigan … Read more
Tennessee State not fielding men’s hockey team for 2025-26, aiming to move start to 2026-27
After it was first announced in June 2023 that Tennessee State would field an NCAA Division I men’s hockey team for the upcoming 2025-26 season, it appears that will not happen. According to a report in the Tennessean, “uncertainty about a home ice location or practice facilities, a lack of fundraising, and unrest about the … Read more
College hockey select team set to play in 2025 Spengler Cup, ‘will have an unforgettable experience at the oldest club tournament in the world’
An NCAA rule change paved the way for college players to assemble a team to play in the world’s oldest ice hockey tournament.
NCAA Division I hockey players continue to thrive in classroom as both women, men top national average in APR
NCAA Division I hockey student-athletes once again performed above the national average academically, according to the annual Academic Progress Rate (APR) data released this month by the NCAA. The women’s hockey four-year average score from 2020-21 through 2023-24 was 993, while men’s hockey scored 986, placing both among the top six among all women’s and men’s sports, … Read more
NCAA Division I independent men’s hockey teams to compete for inaugural United Collegiate Hockey Cup in March 2026
The Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Missouri, will host the United Collegiate Hockey Cup from March 5-7, 2026, bringing together five NCAA Division I men’s hockey programs for a postseason showdown. The event will feature Lindenwood, Alaska, Alaska Anchorage, Long Island and Stonehill. The five-team tournament will include a play-in game, with all … Read more
American International to reclassify as Division II beginning with 2025-26 college hockey season
American International informed players earlier today that it will end its Division I program at the end of this season and field a Division II team starting next year. Coach Eric Lang confirmed this via a text to USCHO, as well as posting the following on X: AIC has been the place I've called my … Read more
NCAA Division I Council votes to make major junior players eligible for NCAA hockey with change taking effect Aug. 1, 2025; CHL players still ineligible for D-III hockey
The NCAA Division I council voted Thursday to make Canadian Hockey League (major junior) players eligible for NCAA Division I hockey and those players may start to participate on NCAA Division I hockey teams effective August 1, 2025. Players may participate in the CHL (Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League, and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey … Read more
Kicking off its 100th season, Southern Cal continuing to make waves in ACHA college hockey circles with eyes on exploring potential NCAA opportunities
By Anthony Ciardelli/Special to USCHO.com A college hockey team is celebrating its 100th birthday. It’s held long and heated rivalries, won league titles, competed in national tournaments and played international opponents. You might think this is a storied NCAA Division I hockey program, but it’s not. It’s the University of Southern California’s ACHA hockey team. … Read more
Source: Vote upcoming that could clear way for major junior players in NCAA hockey
The NCAA is prepared to vote on a proposal that will allow Canadian major junior players to be immediately eligible to play college hockey.
Arizona State gets commitment from WHL player Whitehead, who is aiming to challenge NCAA eligibility rule regarding major junior players
Braxton Whitehead, an Alaska native starting his fourth full season with the WHL’s Regina Pats, has announced his commitment to Arizona State for the 2025-26 season, according to ESPN. Currently, major junior players (OHL, QMJHL, WHL) are not eligible to play NCAA hockey. “[ASU’s] slogan is ‘Be the Tradition’ and I think they love the … Read more
Former Boston College star, 2014 Hobey Baker winner Gaudreau dies in New Jersey traffic accident alongside brother Matthew, who also played at BC
Former Boston College men’s hockey standout and 2014 Hobey Baker award winner Johnny Gaudreau passed away Thursday night after a traffic accident in his native New Jersey. He was 31. Gaudreau’s brother, Matthew, who also played at BC, was killed in the accident as well. He was 29. According to reports, the two were riding … Read more
Former Gustavus Adolphus women’s hockey player Gasparini charged with reckless driving for 2023 crash that killed teammate Jones
Gianna Gasparini, the Gustavus Adolphus hockey player who was driving the car during the 2023 crash that killed teammate Jori Jones, was charged with reckless driving, a misdemeanor, on Aug. 16, 2024. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 364 days in jail, a $3,000 fine, or both. Gasparini did not play during the 2023-24 … Read more
Lawsuit against NCAA, schools seeks to end rule limiting college eligibility for major junior players
A lawsuit against the NCAA and some Division I men’s schools is asking to end the loss of U.S. college hockey eligibility for players who compete in major juniors. Attorneys for Canadian player Rylan Masterson claimed in a lawsuit filed Monday that the NCAA’s rule taking away eligibility for those who play games in the … Read more
Creating a unified identity: Atlantic Hockey America commissioner Morgan on rebranding, league’s future
Atlantic Hockey America commissioner Michelle Morgan reflects on the merger of her two conferences and the league’s new branding.
As challenges present themselves regarding college hockey recruiting, coaches learning ‘to fit your business model to your program’
By Eric Vegoe/Special to USCHO.com It’s never been a more challenging time to piece together a college hockey roster. There are lucrative contracts when you get it right like the one Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko signed after taking the Gophers to consecutive Frozen Fours or the one Wisconsin head coach Mike Hastings signed after … Read more
Former New England College women’s hockey players Capolino, Moore killed in Miami in alleged murder-suicide
According to published reports, former New England College women’s hockey players Sidney Capolino and Meghan Moore were tragically killed last Saturday night. Miami-Dade Police believe Luis Napoles, 40, shot the 25-year-old Moore, his girlfriend, outside her home before entering the apartment and shooting her roommate Capolino, 23. Police have not disclosed the motive. Napoles later … Read more
With college hockey transfer portal here for long haul, coaches debate pros, cons of utilizing ‘other guys’ players’
When the transfer portal was conceived, it was never supposed to be a landing place for college hockey free agents. But years later, that is what is has become. “I didn’t like my power-play time,” or “I didn’t get enough first-line reps.” That’s the reason so many players, above-average student-athletes, are making quick moves to … Read more
As college hockey commissioners get on same page regarding philosophy of game, ‘it’s better for college hockey in general’
When Joe Bertagna stepped down after 23 years as Hockey East commissioner at the end of the 2019-20 season, he had no idea that he was setting a trend. Two years after Bertagna’s departure, Josh Fenton left the NCHC after serving as that league’s only commissioner since its inception in 2013. At the end of … Read more