Pacific Collegiate Hockey Conference

The Pacific Collegiate Hockey Association is a collegiate hockey conference within Division III of the American Collegiate Hockey Association. The PCHA has been in operation for more than thirty years and administers the PCHA Playoffs at the conclusion of each regular season. The winner of the PCHA Playoffs receives the coveted Adams Cup, named after Cary Adams who started the conference. The conference will field 10 teams for the 2010-2011 season.

History
The Pacific Collegiate Hockey Association, originally dubbed the Southern California Collegiate Hockey Association, began in 1972. The three original charter schools were California State University, Northridge, the University of California, Los Angeles and the California Institute of Technology. As of 2010, 27 schools have competed in the PCHA. Northern Arizona University is the only school from outside California to compete in the league. Five years after the conference's inception, the PCHA began instituting a post-season tournament entitled the PCHA Playoffs. There have been fifteen schools that have since won the PCHA Playoffs and captured the Adams Cup.

Members

 * California State University, Northridge
 * College of the Canyons
 * Fresno State University
 * Northern Arizona University
 * Sacramento State University
 * San Jose State University
 * Santa Clara University
 * University of California, Davis
 * University of California, Irvine
 * University of California, Santa Barbara

Former Members
 * California Institute of Technology
 * California Lutheran University
 * California State University, Fullerton
 * Long Beach State University
 * Los Angeles Pierce College
 * Los Angeles Valley College
 * Moorpark College
 * Orange Coast College
 * Pepperdine University
 * San Diego State University
 * Santa Rosa Junior College
 * Stanford University
 * University of California, Los Angeles
 * University of California, San Diego
 * University of Redlands
 * University of Southern California
 * West Los Angeles College

Adams Cup Champions

 * 2011 (Host: Fresno, CA)
 * 2010 (Host: South Lake Tahoe, CA)- College of the Canyons (Defeated CSUN 6-4)
 * 2009 (Host: Fresno, CA)- College of the Canyons (Defeated NAU 8-1)
 * 2008 (Host: Bakersfield, CA)- San Diego State University (Defeated CSUN 12-2)
 * 2007 (Host: Flagstaff, AZ)- San Diego State University (Won best of 3 series vs. NAU- 2-0)
 * 2006 (Host: Northridge, CA)- University of California, San Diego
 * 2005 (Host: Fresno, CA)- Moorpark College (Defeated SRJC)
 * 2004 - College of the Canyons
 * 2003 - Fresno State University
 * 2002 - University of California, San Diego
 * 2001 - University of California, San Diego
 * 2000 - University of California, San Diego
 * 1999 - California State University, Northridge
 * 1998 - San Diego State University
 * 1997 - San José State University
 * 1996 - Orange Coast College
 * 1995 - San José State University
 * 1994 - San José State University
 * 1993 - San José State University
 * 1992 - Stanford University
 * 1991 - University of California, Los Angeles
 * 1990 - Pepperdine University
 * 1989 - University of California, Los Angeles
 * 1988 - California State University, Fullerton
 * 1987 - California State University, Fullerton
 * 1986 - California State University, Fullerton
 * 1985 - University of Southern California
 * 1984 - Los Angeles Pierce College
 * 1983 - California State University, Northridge
 * 1982 - Long Beach State University
 * 1981 - University of Southern California
 * 1980 - University of Southern California
 * 1979 - Los Angeles Valley College
 * 1978 - California State University, Northridge
 * 1977 - University of Southern California

Totals

ACHA Division III Nationals Teams
Since 2002, the PCHA has sent 14 teams to the ACHA Division III National Championships. The teams have had mixed success at Nationals, with the most notable success being San Diego State University who was National Runner-Up in 2008.

2010 Host City: Estero, FL 2009 Host City: Rochester, NY 2008 Host City: Rochester, MN 2007 Host City: Fort Wayne, IN 2006 Host City: Ft. Meyers, FL 2005 Host School: California University of PA 2004 Host School: Arizona State University 2003 Host School: Muskegon CC 2002 Host School: Georgia Tech
 * College of the Canyons (Finished 5th)
 * California State University, Northridge (Finished 11th)
 * Northern Arizona University (Finished 6th)
 * College of the Canyons (Finished 14th)
 * San Diego State University (National Runner-up)
 * Northern Arizona University (Finished 6th)
 * Northern Arizona University (Finished 8th)
 * College of the Canyons (Finished 10th)
 * San Diego State University (Finished 12th)
 * College of the Canyons (Finished 12th)
 * Fresno State University (Finished 6th)
 * West Los Angeles College (Finished 9th)
 * College of the Canyons (Finished 5th)
 * University of California, San Diego (Finished 8th)

PCHA Rivalries
One of the more notable attributes of the PCHA are the intense rivalries that have formed over the previous years. Geographic proximity coupled with limited competition have been main contributors to these fierce matches. This may be the best standing rivalry left in the PCHA. This rivalry is noteworthy because some College of the Canyons players transfer to Cal State Northridge to finish out their collegiate careers. Therefore, these two teams are quite familiar with one another. Both of these teams have been perennially successful, which has led to very intense matches.
 * California State University, Northridge vs. College of the Canyons

In the last five seasons, College of the Canyons has had the upper hand in this particular rivalry with an 8-4 record. In 2005-06 CSUN won the first regular season game 9-3. Later on COC ruined CSUN's perfect season coming from behind in the third period at Northridge to win 5-3. In 2006-07 these two teams opened the season against one another at COC with the Cougars winning 4-2. Back in Northridge, COC once again came from behind in the third period to win in overtime 5-4. At the PCHA playoffs CSUN beat COC in the consolation game. In 2007-08 COC fielded a poor team and subsequently lost 15-4 and forfeited the last game between the two teams. The 2008-09 season saw a resurgence in COC. In the first regular season game COC won 4-1. At Northridge, for the third straight time, COC overcame a third period deficit to win the game 6-5 in overtime. These two teams began the 2009-10 season against one another at COC with the Cougars winning 7-3. They also ended the regular season against one another with COC winning once again 7-3. In the 2010 Adam's Cup championship game COC started the game strong with a 3-0 lead. Northridge fought back to tie the score in the second but COC scored late to retake the lead. In the third period COC extended their lead to 5-3 but a late Northridge goal cut the lead once again to 5-4. The Matadors pulled their goaltender but COC scored on the empty net sealing the game for the Cougars. Dubbed the "Causeway Classic" because of the rivalry between each universities' football programs, this rivalry is also due in part to the location of both schools, being the only two collegiate hockey programs in the Sacramento Valley.
 * Sacramento State vs. University of California, Davis

Since the 2006-07 season, Sacramento State's first back in the PCHA after being reinstated, this rivalry has been closely contested. UCD holds a slight advantage with a 5-4 record.