NCHA women's conference to remain strong and viable

The following is a statement from NCHA Commissioner Bill Kronschnabel regarding the state of the Women's NCHA after the recent announcement that current NCHA men's programs St. Norbert and St. Scholastica will be joining the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association for the 2013-14 season:

"The break-up of the Men's Northern Collegiate Hockey Association at the end of the 2012-13 season will not have any effect on the Women's Northern Collegiate Hockey Association," NCHA Commissioner Bill Kronschnabel stated Wednesday morning. "The NCHA is a formidable NCAA Division III women's hockey conference and will continue to play a full conference and non-conference schedule while remaining one of the five conferences nationally to have its conference playoff champion automatically qualify for the NCAA national tournament."

The 11 team NCHA women's conference will become a seven team conference at the conclusion of this season, as the WIAC conference members are withdrawing both their men's and women's teams from the NCHA to compete under the auspices of their multi-sport Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Press release courtesy of NCHA Sports Information Director Brian Monahan