In recent years, new NCAA Division I ice hockey programs have been added and the number of teams continues to grow on both the men's and women's side. Some programs are moving up to Division I from a Division III or club level, while other programs are adding hockey to their school for the first time. Here are seven new programs for recruits to keep their eyes on in the recruiting process:

New Men's D1 Ice Hockey Programs

1. Stonehill College

Stonehill has had a Division II men's ice hockey program, but in the 2022/23 season, the Skyhawks made the jump to Division I. They are currently completed as an independent and not part of a conference.

2. Lindenwood University

Lindenwood has had a men's ice hockey team at the club level in prior years, but their program made the jump to NCAA Division I during the 2022/23 season. Lindenwood is currently competing as an independent program, not part of a conference. 

Related: The Little Things Matter! 4 Recruiting Tips for Ice Hockey Players

3. Augustana University

Augustana is a university in Six Falls, South Dakota and is adding a new program that will begin in the 2023/24 season. The Vikings will be competing in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). 

4. Robert Morris University

Robert Morris has previously had a men's hockey program, but in the spring of 2021, the university announced that they were shutting down the program. In the 2023/24 season, the Colonials are set to reinstate their program. 

New Women's D1 Ice Hockey Programs

1. Stonehill College

Stonehill became an NCAA Division 1 member this year during the 2022/23 season. The Skyhawks joined the NEWHA conference and just completed their first season.

Related: Good Adv-ice: 10 Women's Yale Ice Hockey Players Offer Advice to College Athletes

2. Robert Morris University

Similar to the men's program, Robert Morris previously had a women's hockey program but was also shut down in the spring of 2021. The women's program is set to return for the 2023/24 season along with the men's program. 

3. Assumption University

In the summer of 2022, Assumption announced that they are adding an NCAA Division 1 women's ice hockey program. The Greyhounds are set to compete in the NEWHA conference as the eighth team in the conference. 

There are other programs, such as Long Island University and St. Thomas (MN), that recently became Division 1 members as well in the past few years. St. Thomas made the jump from Division III to Division I for both their men's and women's programs and Long Island introduced their women's program in the 2019/20 season, while the men's followed and introduced their program in the 2020/21 season. NCAA ice hockey continues to grow in competition and new programs are always being introduced so if you're a recruit who is interested in helping build a program, watch out for these developments.

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* Originally published on March 22, 2023, by Marissa Massaro