NEWS

     The West Coast Hockey Conference has accepted three new programs into the fold for the 2018-19 season.

     Cal Lutheran, UC Santa Barbara and the University of San Diego increase the WCHC membership to eight teams which is the most ever for the conference.

     UCSB and Cal Lutheran both move over from the Pacific Collegiate Hockey Association, another conference within Division 2 of the ACHA. The Gauchos are the most recent champions of the PCHA. USD is a brand new program and will play their first season in the ACHA this Fall.

     The big benefit of having at least eight postseason eligible teams within your conference is the playoff champion receives an auto bid to the West Regional Tournament. So now at least one WCHC team gets a chance to advance to Nationals each season they maintain the required eight teams.

     Before 18-19 the most members the WCHC had was seven during the conference's second season in 2011-12. UNLV joined the six charter members from the previous year Arizona State, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, Loyola Marymount, Northern Arizona and San Diego State. After that season UNLV, ASU and SDSU all left to become independent.

     The WCHC remained a four team conference for two seasons until Cal State Northridge joined in 2014-15. For the 2015-16 season the WCHC stayed at five teams when NAU left and Arizona State took their place. The next season membership once again stayed at five with ASU moving out and SDSU re-joining the conference. This past season Chapman became a member to increase the WCHC to six altogether.

     The regular season schedule and playoff format will be announced just prior to the start of the season.