New hockey league officially announced

Schools involved in the formation of a new six-team Division I men's hockey league officially acknowledged the conference in a press release Saturday.

Minnesota Duluth, Denver, Colorado College, Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota and Miami University of Oxford, Ohio, have combined for a league which will begin in 2013-14. A press conference Wednesday in Colorado Springs, Colo., will provide further details. The league has yet to be named.

UMD, Denver, Colorado College, Nebraska-Omaha and North Dakota are leaving the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Miami is leaving the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.

Although not mentioned in the release, it is expected that Notre Dame of the CCHA has been extended an invitation to join the new league.

The release statement:

We are pleased to announce that six top NCAA Division I ice hockey programs will become founding members of a newly formed hockey conference, which will begin competition for the 2013-14 season. The six institutions are Colorado College, University of Denver, Miami University, University of Minnesota Duluth, University of Nebraska Omaha and University of North Dakota.

We understand and appreciate the widespread interest in developments relating to the formation of the new hockey conference. More information will be provided about the initiatives that have been undertaken, as well as the next steps involved, at a news conference in Colorado Springs this Wednesday, July 13. Our programs look forward to continued associations with our current leagues, the WCHA and CCHA, for the next two seasons.

Additional information about Wednesday’s news conference will be forthcoming in the next few days. There will be no further comment from athletic directors, coaches or other officials from any of the institutions until Wednesday’s news conference.

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