The following news release was distributed to ACHA members from Executive Director Craig Barnett on Oct. 19, 2020.
TROY, Mich. (October 20, 2020) – The American Collegiate Hockey Association, the governing body for non-NCAA college hockey in the United States, announces that due to the ongoing pandemic, the combined ACHA National Championship Tournament event will not be held as intended at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, Massachusetts in April 15-20, 2021. The ACHA will reschedule the combined ACHA National Championship Tournament event to be at the New England Sports Center in March 2023.
"One of the biggest reasons Boston was selected and in particular, the New England Sports Center chosen to host the ACHA National Championship Tournament, was to take advantage of what the facility offers," said ACHA Executive Director Craig Barnett. "The New England Sports Center would allow us to not only have all 72 teams representing our five Divisions at one location, but now under one roof! We hoped, and still hope, that this format will generate a tremendous atmosphere with a lot of hockey and camaraderie happening at the same time and provide a true festival-type atmosphere for our ACHA student-athletes, teams and fans."
"However, due to the pandemic, we still have a lot of unknowns for the Spring, particularly with regard to indoor facility restrictions on both competition and the number of fans permitted to attend, the social distancing required with 72 teams and fans in one facility, along with other public health and safety guidelines that would take away from the experience we want to achieve," said Barnett. "Thus, postponing Boston until 2023 after St. Louis in 2022 seems like the logical way to proceed."
As for ACHA Nationals in 2021, the ACHA has authorized each of the five ACHA divisions to conduct their own separate modified National Championship Tournament in April 2021. The ACHA, by and through the five Divisional Commissioners working with their respective membership and committees, is currently in the process of finalizing necessary season modifications for each Division in response to the pandemic.
These season modifications include but are not limited to: determining the minimum number of games to be played this season in order to qualify for Nationals; determining how each Division will rank teams this season in light of the restricted travel and reduced amount of non-conference games; determining how each Division handles autobids to Nationals; and determining the form and structure of Regional play-in tournaments per Division. Once these season modifications have been finalized and approved, the ACHA will issue an announcement detailing the modifications.
"We are currently working with our Divisional Commissioners to identify possible locations for each Division to host their own respective National Championship Tournaments during April 15-20, 2021," said Barnett. "Having separate modified Divisional Championships will put us in line with other sport associations that are reducing the number of teams competing at one location and within more central locations relative to their membership. We hope to have these details finalized for each Division in the coming weeks."
For further information, please contact ACHA Executive Director Craig Barnett at cbarnett@achahockey.org.
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About American Collegiate Hockey Association
The American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) is a recognized 501(c)3 organization of almost 500 college and university-affiliated programs which provides structure, regulates operations, and promotes the quality of collegiate ice hockey throughout the United States. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the ACHA's primary mission is to support the growth and development of college hockey programs nationwide. The ACHA identifies standards which serve to unite and regulate teams at the collegiate level and enters its 30th season in September 2020. For more information, visit achahockey.org.
