Salve Regina men’s, women’s teams to join New England Hockey Conference
When it was announced last July that Salve Regina University athletic teams would shift from the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) to the New England Men’s and Women’s Athletic Conference starting July 1 of this year, it left the Salve Regina men’s and women’s ice hockey teams without a home because the NEWMAC does not include hockey among its sports offerings.
Not to worry though – the Seahawk skaters have found a new home of their own. Salve Regina recently announced its men’s and women’s ice hockey squads will become the newest members of the New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) and begin league play during the 2024-2025 season.
“The NEHC is excited to welcome Salve Regina University as the league's newest member,” NEHC Commissioner Katie Boldvich said. “The Seahawks have long shown their stability and success in the ice hockey community. Their commitment to the growth of the sport, overarching goals as a department and geographic footprint made them an ideal member for the conference.”
Both the Seahawks men and women will compete in the CCC during the 2023-2024 season before transitioning to NEHC the following year. Salve Regina Athletic Director Sean Sullivan said the move to the NEHC marks a visible commitment to the continued growth of the Seahawks’ ice hockey programs.
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Division III national champ Hobart an NEHC member
“By joining one of the premier hockey conferences in the country, Salve Regina ice hockey student-athletes will now be challenged by and benefit from playing against other Division III programs of the highest caliber,” Sullivan said. “Our hockey partners in the CCC have prepared us well and we are ready to step up our dedication to hockey even further.”
This year’s Division III men’s hockey national champion Hobart is one of 10 current NEHC members. The other nine include Norwich, Babson, Elmira, Skidmore, UMass-Boston, Castleton, New England College, Southern Maine and Johnson & Wales. Albertus Magnus College also will join for the 2024-2025 season giving the conference 12 members.
“This is an exciting time for the future of the Salve men's ice hockey program,” Salve men’s hockey team coach Zech Klann said. “We are very happy to be joining the NEHC and the strong traditions within the conference. We look forward to competing alongside these well-established programs.”
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Salve’s women’s team has been competing at the Division III level for 20 years and recently concluded its 2022-2023 season with an 11-13 overall record.
“We are excited to be joining the NEHC for the 2024-2025 season,” Salve women’s hockey team head coach David Lun said. “Its prestige and level of competition precedes itself.”
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: New England Hockey Conference adds Salve Regina men's, woman's hockey
