DULUTH, Minn. -- The Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) announced today that it will be moving conference play to the 2021 calendar year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

Conference athletic directors made the difficult decision in order to protect the health and safety of student-athletes, coaches, staff and administration, their families, and broader campus and local communities.  The conference administrators' decision is on based guidance from national, state, and local health officials, as well as NCAA recommendations and campus institutional policies.

NCHA member institutions remain focused on providing meaningful experiences for their student-athletes in the fall of 2020 which could include opportunities for practice, small group training, skill development, strength and conditioning, and leadership programming. 

Engagement in non-conference competition in the fall remains at the discretion of individual NCHA institutions and will not be governed by the conference.

The conference schedule will be adjusted for a January start, based on state and local public health officials, NCAA and institutional guidance and any adjustment to national championship dates.  The goal of the NCHA remains to provide a safe, healthy and positive student-athlete experience during the 2020-21 hockey season.