UAH and the WCHA released a new 2020-21 schedule on Wednesday, setting a course for a shortened college hockey season while coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Chargers will play 23 games, with 18 conference games and five non-conference games. UAH will play nine home games (all WCHA contests) at the Von Braun Center.
“In addition to state and local health and safety guidelines in force at each WCHA campus, the 2020-21 schedule will play out under the WCHA’s Return to Competition protocols,” the WCHA said in its press release. “Those protocols will include COVID-19 testing for student-athletes, coaches, staff and game officials as well as social-distancing requirements at all WCHA arenas.”
Every team in the WCHA will play 18 conference games, two against each of the other nine. Because of the restrictions on non-conference games for other conferences, most WCHA teams will play non-conference games against WCHA foes. UAH and Bowling Green are the only two that have any non-conference games against teams outside the WCHA.
The WCHA has set aside the weekend of March 5-6 for any games that may be postponed because of the pandemic. The conference tournament format has yet to be revealed, but it is scheduled for the weekends of March 12-13 and March 19-20.
The Chargers open the season in the Pittsburgh area on Nov. 20 and 21 at Robert Morris. It would be the first time since 2010 that UAH has played RMU, which hired former UAH head coach Mike Corbett over the summer. RMU, now with Atlantic Hockey. and UAH were both members of College Hockey America through 2010.
That will be the only non-conference series against a true non-conference opponent. UAH will visit Ferris State (Dec. 4) and Lake Superior State (Dec. 6-7) for three games that will not count in the WCHA standings.
The true start to the Chargers’ WCHA season is Jan. 2-3 at Michigan Tech. UAH’s first home series at the Von Braun Center will be Jan. 8-9 against Ferris State.
UAH hosts Northern Michigan (Jan. 22-23), Alaska Anchorage (Feb. 5-6) and Minnesota State (Feb. 11-12). The Chargers and travel partner Bowling Green will finish the regular season with a home-and-home series in Ohio (Wednesday, Feb. 24) and Huntsville (Saturday, Feb. 27).
This is expected to be the last season of the WCHA. Seven schools will be forming the new CCHA next season, with UAH still looking for a new conference home.
2020-21 UAH Hockey Schedule
Nov. 20-21 at Robert Morris
Dec. 4 at Ferris State
Dec. 6-7 at Lake Superior State
Jan. 1-2 at Michigan Tech*
Jan. 8-9 vs. Ferris State*
Jan. 15-16 at Bemidji State*
Jan. 22-23 vs. Northern Michigan*
Jan. 29-30 at Alaska*
Feb. 5-6 vs. Alaska Anchorage*
Feb. 11-12 vs. Minnesota State*
Feb. 19-20 at Lake Superior State*
Feb. 24 at Bowling Green*
Feb. 27 vs. Bowling Green*
Home games in bold. Game time is 7 p.m. for all home games except for Feb. 27 (2 p.m.).
*WCHA contest