Women's Midwest College Hockey
 | |
| Conference | ACHA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2019 |
| Commissioner | Jason White |
| Sports fielded | |
| Division | Women's Division 1 |
| No. of teams | 7 |
| Region | Midwest, Mid-Atlantic |
| Locations | |
 | |
Women's Midwest College Hockey (WMCH) is an American Collegiate Hockey Association Women's Division 1 club level hockey-only college athletic conference for women's hockey teams. It is one of four ACHA Women's Division 1 conferences, along with the Central Collegiate Women's Hockey Association, Eastern Collegiate Women's Hockey League, and Western Women's Collegiate Hockey League. The league features seven of the top ACHA programs from across the country regardless of geographic considerations, with its membership ranging from Lynchburg, Virginia in the southeast to Minot, North Dakota in the northwest.
WMCH began play during the 2019–20 season with teams that had won four of the last seven national championships (Minnesota in 2013, Liberty in 2015, 2018, and 2019), and each of its members had participated in their respective national tournaments within the past two seasons (Minot State did so in Division 2, the rest in Division 1). The conference lived up to that billing by earning four of the eight available bids to the 2020 ACHA National Tournament, before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Current membership
[edit]| Institution | Location | Nickname | Founded | Type | Enrollment | Colors | Primary Facility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty University | Lynchburg, Virginia | Flames | 1971 | Private (Baptist) |
15,000 (residential) |
Blue, White and Red[1] |
LaHaye Ice Center |
| Maryville University | St. Louis, Missouri | Saints | 1872 | Private | 4,609 | Red, Black and White[2] |
Maryville University Hockey Center |
| Lindenwood University | St. Charles, Missouri | Lions | 1827 | Private | 7,465 | Black and Gold |
Centene Community Ice Center |
| McKendree University | Lebanon, Illinois | Bearcats | 1828 | Private (Methodist) |
2,499 | Purple and White |
McKendree Metro Rec Plex |
| Midland University | Fremont, Nebraska | Warriors | 1883 | Private (Lutheran) |
1,400 | Orange and Blue |
Sidner Ice Arena |
| University of Minnesota | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Golden Gophers | 1851 | Public | 47,783 | Maroon and Gold[3] |
Mariucci Arena |
| Minot State University | Minot, North Dakota | Beavers | 1913 | Public | 3,560 | Red, Green and Black[4] |
Maysa Arena |
Membership timeline
[edit]
Playoff championship game results
[edit]
| Year | Champion | Score | Runner-Up | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Liberty | 2–1[5] | Minot State | St. Louis, Missouri |
Regular season champions
[edit]- 2019–20 Liberty†
† The WMCH did not formally declare a regular season champion. Liberty was the top-seeded team for the league playoffs due to having the highest ACHA ranking of the members.
ACHA National Tournament appearances
[edit]Appearances made while a WMCH member.
| School | Appearances | Years | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | 1 | 2020 | None |
| Lindenwood–Belleville | 1 | 2020 | None |
| McKendree | 1 | 2020 | None |
| Minot State | 1 | 2020 | None |
See also
[edit]- American Collegiate Hockey Association
- Lindenwood–Belleville Lynx women's ice hockey
- Minot State Beavers women's ice hockey
- List of ice hockey leagues
References
[edit]- ^ "Colors & Fonts". Liberty University. Archived from the original on May 13, 2019. Retrieved May 13, 2019.
- ^ "MU – Graphic Identity". MaryvilleSaints.com. Retrieved 2015-12-19.
- ^ "Our Brand: How to Convey It". University of Minnesota. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
- ^ "MSU – Graphic Identity". Minotstateu.edu. Retrieved 2015-12-19.
- ^ "Smibert's late goal lets Lady Flames hoist WMCHL trophy". Liberty University. March 8, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2020.