Northern Collegiate Hockey Association Commissioner Dr. G. Steven Larson announced today Aurora University's application for membership in the NCHA Men's Conference has been reviewed and approved by the member institution Presidents and Chancellors. The Spartans will open play in the 2014-15 season.

 "We are very pleased to have Aurora University as a member of the NCHA," Larson said. "Their leadership is committed to fielding strong, competitive intercollegiate athletics programs as is evidenced by their success and history having won the Men's All-Sports Award five times in the past seven years, producing 160 scholar-athletes this year alone, and having been honored with either the Conference Woman or Man of the Year each the last four years in the Northern Athletics Conference."
 
"They are working hard to build their hockey program from the ground up by bringing in quality student-athletes and an enthusiastic and dedicated coaching staff to build the foundation," Larson added. "They will also be bringing one of the premier ice hockey facilities to the NCHA with their home site at the Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva, IL."
 
Aurora will become an official NCAA Division III program in 2014 and will play as a

provisional member of the NCHA due to scheduling contracts between the NCHA and other conferences. In the 2015-16 season, the Spartans will play a full NCHA schedule and be eligible for the Harris Cup Playoffs – and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. They will still be eligible for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament in the 2014-15 season.

 
"The Aurora University community is excited about initiating varsity play in men's hockey next year," AU President Dr. Rebecca Sherrick said. "We are enthused especially about joining the NCHA and providing our student-athletes with opportunities for high levels of competition among academic peers."
 
"Becoming part of the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association in our first year of NCAA Division III hockey is a tremendous opportunity for our young hockey program here at Aurora University," said Athletic Director Jim Hamad. "The NCHA provides us a tremendous benefit in recruiting and ensuring quality opponents in scheduling. This allows us better opportunities to qualify for the national tournament and to receive conference accolades."
 
Aurora will enter the NCHA at an exciting time in the conference's history. The NCHA will

expand to ten teams for the fast-approaching 2013-14 season with the addition of St. Norbert College and the College of St. Scholastica, both which frequently appear in the national rankings. St. Norbert has won two of the past three NCAA championships. Aurora will bring the conference to 11 teams in the fall of 2014.

 
"Aurora University has a rich tradition of winning at the NCAA Division III level and we are very thankful to take that to the ice in 2014," said Aurora Head Coach Ryan Buchanan. "We are excited to join the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association, which is rapidly becoming one of the toughest conferences in the country. Having the opportunity to compete at the NCAA level as part of the NCHA is something we are very much looking forward to at AU. Our venue at Fox Valley Ice Arena is not only going to be a great place to host college hockey, but also help continue to grow our great sport here in the Midwest."
 
Aurora University is located in Aurora, Illinois – the second largest city in the state – about 40 miles west of downtown Chicago. The team will play and practice at the Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva, located just north of Aurora. The arena houses two ice sheets (NHL and Olympic), a hockey shop, training center and restaurant. Aurora currently fields 20 NCAA Division III intercollegiate athletic teams, with hockey becoming the 21st; the university traces its origins to 1893.