Augustana hockey accepted for membership into Central Collegiate Hockey Association
The Augustana hockey program has found its conference home.
The Vikings were officially welcomed Tuesday to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, where they will become members when they debut in the 2023-24 season. The Vikings, who are starting their program from scratch and will be the first college hockey team in South Dakota and the first Division I team to play its home games in Sioux Falls, are the CCHA’s ninth member.
“The CCHA supports the continued growth of college hockey and are excited to accept Augustana University as our ninth member,” said CCHA Commissioner Don Lucia. “Sioux Falls is a proven hockey community and the commitment Augustana University is making to Division I hockey is impressive. Our members look forward to assisting Augustana University in their transition to college hockey and the CCHA over the next few years.”
Earlier: Augustana's hockey team has its first coach in Garrett Raboin: 'This is such an incredible spot'
The conference is home to three teams from Minnesota (Minnesota State-Mankato, Bemidji State and St. Thomas), with four teams from Michigan (Ferris State, Michigan Tech, Lake Superior State and Northern Michigan) and Bowling Green (Ohio) the other member. Mankato and Bemidji are conference foes of the Vikings in their non-hockey sports in the Division II Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
“We began this academic year with three goals for our hockey program and with this invitation we have now accomplished all three - finalize the design of Midco Arena, hire a head coach, and find a conference home," added Augustana athletic director Josh Morton. "Joining a league that has quickly established itself as a nationally competitive conference means a lot and we look forward to adding to the excellence of the CCHA in 2023 as we bring the highest level of college hockey to Augustana University.”
The CCHA operated from 1973 to 2013, but disbanded when it lost members to the formation of the Big Ten hockey conference in 2013-14. That iteration of the CCHA was home to Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Omaha, among others.
In 2021, seven members of the WCHA left that league to form a revived version of the CCHA, with St. Thomas joining as an eighth member after being approved for Division I membership.
The current CCHA recognizes its prior incarnation as part of its history.
The other conference that made sense for the Vikings was the NCHC (National Collegiate Hockey Conference), which is home to North Dakota, Duluth, Omaha and St. Cloud State, as well as schools from Colorado College, Denver, Western Michigan and Miami of Ohio.
Hockey team has hired a new coach; new arena planned
The Vikings have hired former St. Cloud State and Minnesota assistant Garrett Raboin as their first head coach. With a conference home secure, hiring the rest of Raboin's staff will be next in line for the program.
Augustana is set to begin play in the fall of 2023 in yet-to-be-built Midco Arena, a 3,000 seat, $40 million, on-campus facility.
More: Augustana University tabs Bowlsby Sports Advisors to find first hockey coach
“As Augustana launches the first college hockey program in South Dakota, we are grateful to the CCHA for welcoming our university, the city of Sioux Falls, and the entire state to NCAA Division I competition in this exciting sport," said Augustana
University President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. "We are thrilled to join the CCHA -- the league and its members are committed to excellence, player development, and the experience of student-athletes and fans."
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Augustana accepted into Central Collegiate Hockey Association
