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2025–26 Atlantic Hockey America men's season

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2025–26 AHA men's season
Season2025–26
ConferenceAHA
DivisionDivision I
Sportmen's ice hockey
DurationOctober 3, 2025–
March 21, 2026
Number of teams10
TV partner(s)FloHockey
Regular season
Season championsBentley
Season MVPFélix Trudeau
Top scorerFélix Trudeau (33)
Atlantic Hockey America Tournament
Tournament championsBentley
  Runners-upSacred Heart
Tournament MVPMichael Mesic
Top scorerMichael Mesic (8)
Kellan Hjartarson
NCAA tournament
Bids1
Record0–1
Best FinishRegional Semifinal
Team(s)Bentley
AHA men's seasons
« 2024–25 2026–27 »

The 2025–26 Atlantic Hockey America men's season was the 2nd season of play for Atlantic Hockey America and took place during the 2025–26 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season. The season began on October 3, 2025, and the conference tournament concluded on March 21, 2026.

Membership changes

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During the previous season, American International announced that they would be downgrading their program to Division II after the season.[1]

Coaches

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  • Before the previous season, Brian Riley announced that he would be retiring at the end of the season.[2] Army elected to promote assistant coach Zach McKelvie to the position. This ended an unbroken string of the program being led by the Riley family dating back to 1950.
  • After the end of the previous season, Wayne Wilson announced his retirement from coaching. RIT brought back alumnus Matt Thomas as the team's new head coach.[3]

Records

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Team Head coach Season at school Record at school Atlantic Hockey record
Air Force Frank Serratore 29 472–457–102 11–13–2
Army Zach McKelvie 1 0–0–0 0–0–0
Bentley Andy Jones 3 39–32–4 16–9–1
Canisius Trevor Large 8 112–142–25 11–13–2
Holy Cross Bill Riga 5 74–72–11 19–5–2
Mercyhurst Rick Gotkin 38 611–550–111 4–19–3
Niagara Jason Lammers 8 113–145–27 16–9–1
RIT Matt Thomas 1 0–0–0 0–0–0
Robert Morris Derek Schooley 20 296–320–75 7–15–4
Sacred Heart C. J. Marottolo 16 209–304–60 16–7–3

Preseason

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Coaches were polled prior to the season and asked to both rank member programs as well as vote for an all-conference team.[4] Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players or teams

Standings

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Conference record Overall record
GP W L T OW OL SW PTS GF GA GP W L T GF GA
#20 Bentley †*261664102538556402312512294
Sacred Heart261583101488061402314311896
Robert Morris26131120224569694016213103128
Holy Cross26141021114581693818182113116
RIT261311221242696836171729396
Air Force26131032104175733718154108112
Canisius26121221023981743517162107105
Niagara269161130306783371323193118
Army26715423228617535121769196
Mercyhurst26518300119478737628365143
Championship: March 21, 2026
† indicates conference regular season champion (DeGregorio Trophy)
* indicates conference tournament champion (Riley Trophy)
Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll; updated April 15, 2026
Source: AHA

Regular season record

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Team Big Ten CCHA ECAC Hockey Hockey East Independent NCHC Total
Air Force 0–0–0 2–1–0 2–0–0 0–0–0 0–0–0 0–2–1 4–3–1
Army 0–0–0 0–0–0 0–1–1 4–0–0 1–0–1 0–0–0 5–1–2
Bentley 0–0–0 0–0–0 1–0–1 0–2–0 1–1–0 0–2–0 2–5–1
Canisius 0–0–0 0–0–0 3–1–0 0–0–0 2–2–0 0–0–0 5–3–0
Holy Cross 0–0–0 0–0–0 0–2–0 0–4–0 2–0–0 0–0–0 2–6–0
Mercyhurst 0–2–0 0–0–0 0–2–0 0–2–0 0–0–0 0–2–0 0–8–0
Niagara 0–0–0 2–0–0 1–5–0 0–0–0 0–0–0 0–0–0 3–5–0
Robert Morris 0–3–1 0–0–0 0–0–0 0–0–0 0–4–0 0–0–0 0–7–1
RIT 1–1–0 0–0–0 3–1–0 0–0–0 0–0–0 0–1–0 4–3–0
Sacred Heart 1–1–0 0–0–0 1–2–0 0–0–0 1–1–0 0–0–0 3–4–0
Overall 2–7–1 4–1–0 11–14–2 4–8–0 7–8–1 0–7–1 28–45–5

Statistics

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Leading scorers

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GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes[5]

Player Class Team GP G A Pts PIM
Félix TrudeauSeniorSacred Heart2516173346
Jake BlackSeniorBentley2614173110
Jack StockfishJuniorHoly Cross261015256
Killian Kiecker-OlsonSeniorCanisius268172522
Stephen CastagnaSeniorBentley269152421
Chris HeddenSeniorAir Force269152412
Kellan HjartarsonJuniorBentley267172410
Grant PorterSeniorCanisius26717248
Walter ZacherJuniorCanisius2313102316
Nick SajevicSophomoreAir Force266172318

Leading goaltenders

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Minimum 1/3 of team's minutes played in conference games.
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average[5]

Player Class Team GP Min W L T GA SO SV% GAA
Nicholas BevilacquaSophomoreBentley10603:59811162.9401.59
Ajeet GundarahSophomoreSacred Heart12682:44731221.9331.93
Jakub KrbečekSophomoreRIT241395:4713101540.9122.32
Charlie SchenkelFreshmanRobert Morris171000:18862391.9192.34
Dominik WasikJuniorAir Force261528:061393603.9132.36

Conference tournament

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Note: Teams are reseeded after the First Round and Quarterfinals.

First Round
March 3
Quarterfinals
March 6–8
Semifinals
March 13–15
Championship
March 21
1 Bentley 4*** 6 -
7 Canisius 2 10 Mercyhurst 3 0 -
10 Mercyhurst 5 1 Bentley 3* 4 -
4 Holy Cross 2 0 -
2 Sacred Heart 3 2 -
8 Niagara 5 8 Niagara 1 1 -
9 Army 4 1 Bentley 3
2 Sacred Heart 2
3 Robert Morris 2 4 5
6 Air Force 3** 1 2
2 Sacred Heart 5 2 5
3 Robert Morris 1 5 0
4 Holy Cross 2* 5* -
5 RIT 1 4 -

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

NCAA tournament

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Regional semifinals

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March 27, 2026
5:30 pm on ESPNU
(1) Michigan5–1
(2–0, 2–0, 1–1)
(4) BentleyMVP Arena
Attendance: 6,584
Game reference
Jack IvankovicGoaliesLukas SwedinReferees:
Cameron Lynch
Jason Williams
Linesmen:
Steve Drain
Adam Wood
(Perron) T. J. Hughes (21) – 9:491–0
(unassisted) Ben Robertson (1) – GW – 19:592–0
(Perron, Hughes) Nick Moldenhauer (15) – PP – 28:353–0
(Hughes, Schifsky) Kason Muscutt (3) – 30:494–0
(Duke, Hady) Garrett Schifsky (13) – 57:505–0
5–159:33 – David Helledy (6) (Upson, Dalton)
12 minPenalties8 min
29Shots25

Rankings

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USCHO

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Team Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Final
Air Force NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
Army NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
Bentley NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR202020
Canisius NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
Holy Cross NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
Mercyhurst NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
Niagara NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
RIT NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
Robert Morris NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
Sacred Heart NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR

Note: USCHO did not release a poll in week 12 or 26.[7]


USA Hockey

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Team Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Final
Air Force NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
Army NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
Bentley NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR202020
Canisius NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
Holy Cross NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
Mercyhurst NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
Niagara NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
RIT NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
Robert Morris NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR
Sacred Heart NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR

Note: USA Hockey did not release a poll in week 12.[8]

NPI

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Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Final
Air Force ––41––32423430383939444242353634403436363737
Army ––9––35485151474645455047494847434547454545
Bentley ––50––17393840414136273026262728253227252525
Canisius ––21––37474749494948484337434746464749484948
Holy Cross ––52––43302123222229343844444138443834383938
Mercyhurst ––57––63636363636363636263636363636363636363
Niagara ––28––57494857545454545958555556555555555556
RIT ––46––19132033363738354139383733374344444444
Robert Morris ––44––53565859575660575453535253525048474646
Sacred Heart ––33––52383737454443393433414239333126283031

Note: teams ranked in the top-10 automatically qualify for the NCAA tournament. Teams ranked 11-16 can qualify based upon conference tournament results.[9]

References

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  1. ↑ "American International to reclassify as Division II beginning with 2025-26 college hockey season". USCHO. November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Army's Riley the Latest to Announce Retirement". collegehockeynews.com. August 21, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  3. ↑ "RIT brings back alum Thomas as head coach". USCHO. April 10, 2025. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Sacred Heart pegged to win 2025-26 Atlantic Hockey America men's title; Holy Cross' Stockfish chosen preseason player of the year". USCHO. September 9, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  5. 1 2 "2025-2026 Men's Ice Hockey Conference Statistics". Atlantic Hockey America. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Top Canadiens prospect Michael Hage ruled out of NCAA Tournament opener with injury". Montreal Hockey Fanatics. March 27, 2026. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  7. ↑ "USCHO Division I Men's Poll". USCHO.com. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  8. ↑ "USA Hockey Men's Poll". USCHO.com. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Men's Division I National Collegiate Percentage (NPI) Index". USCHO.com. Retrieved May 2, 2026.
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