The NEHC has announced that Albertus Magnus as the league’s newest member effective for the 2024-25 hockey season.
Both the men’s and women’s programs will join the conference.
“The NEHC is excited to welcome Albertus Magnus College as the league’s newest member,” said NEHC commissioner Katie Boldvich in a statement. “We’ve eagerly watched the success and resources committed to the men’s program the last few years and are excited to welcome another strong partner to the conference. Coach (Kyle) Wallack is building a special program and we have no doubt the women will see similar progress under the guidance of Coach (Stephen) Novodor.”
“Albertus Magnus College and its ice hockey programs are thrilled to accept this invitation to join the New England Hockey Conference,” added Albertus athletic director Michael Kobylanski. “The NEHC and its member institutions have long demonstrated the highest level of success on the academic and athletic fronts. We look forward to competing against this prestigious group of institutions and ice hockey programs in the years ahead. In addition, we are extremely pleased to be able to provide our student-athletes and coaches for both our women’s and men’s programs the opportunity to compete for postseason berths against some of the most formidable programs in the nation.”
The Falcons’ men’s program has distinguished themselves as a strong regional contender in only two full seasons as a varsity program. The men finished the 2021-22 campaign with a 16-8-1 overall record.
“We are ecstatic to join one of the strongest hockey conferences in the country,” said Wallack. “From top to bottom, the NEHC is one of the toughest leagues in all of Division III hockey. Acceptance into the NEHC will help us continue to recruit the best student-athletes in North America and will ensure that we are competing in the toughest competition on a nightly basis.”
Albertus Magnus announced the addition of a women’s program this past summer with their inaugural season of competition slated for 2022-23. Novodor has been tabbed the program’s first head coach and brings with him more than 15 years of experience, including coaching at the collegiate, prep school and youth levels.
“I am thrilled that we have been accepted to play in the NEHC starting in the 2024-25 season,” said Novodor. “As we launch our program, this will be a tremendous help to our recruiting efforts as our student-athletes know they will be playing in one of the best Division III conferences in the country and fighting for the league’s automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.”
The Falcons play their home contests at the newly renovated Ralph Walker Skating Rink in New Haven, Conn. The facility boasts a new ice sheet and chiller plant (2019) along with dedicated locker room space.
The NEHC last expanded in the 2021-22 season when the league added Elmira men’s and women’s programs along with the William Smith women’s program. The 2018-19 season saw the addition of current members Johnson and Wales (men’s and women’s) and Salem State (women) while the Hobart men began competition in the NEHC in 2017-18.
“I want to thank our league presidents and athletic directors who have always leaned into the strategic growth of our conference, especially as it comes to membership. We look forward to these next steps as a conference as we keep up with the growth of ice hockey at the Division III level,” noted Boldvich.
