7 members of WCHA start process to form new men’s league

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (AP) — Seven members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association have started the process of leaving the league to form a new men’s conference.

The seven schools are Bemidji (behm-IHD’-jee) State, Minnesota State Mankato, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Lake Superior State, Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan.

Plans call for them to begin play in the unnamed conference in the 2021-22 season, after playing two more seasons in the WCHA.

The Star Tribune reports the three current WCHA men’s teams that aren’t involved in the move are the farthest away from the Bloomington, Minnesota-based conference — Alabama Huntsville, Alaska and Alaska Anchorage.

WCHA men’s Commissioner Bill Robertson calls the move “disappointing” but says “the WCHA will work to assure that any members that do withdraw do so in accordance with WCHA bylaws.”

The move does not apply to the WCHA women’s league.