With the 2019-2020 season set to begin in just a few shorts weeks, the WCCHA is excited to release the comprehensive league season schedule. This year, WCCHA teams will take part in over 200 regular season contests, including 120 league games, in the battle to qualify for the 2020 WCCHA Tournament and ACHA postseason.

VIEW THE FULL WCCHA SCHEDULE AND CURRENT STANDINGS HERE

This season, three new teams enter the fray in the WCCHA looking to make an immediate impact on the league. Fresh off of a top 20 regional finish last year, Gustavus Adolphus College joins alongside the returning Winona State Warriors. Both teams will battle in the Southeast Division. In the Northwest, St. John's University begins their tenure after a strong innaugural season. With both divisions now featuring 7 teams, the league competition will be even greater as only 8 members will earn the right to battle for the Carla Berg Cup at the 2020 WCCHA Tournament.

SJU will be the first to make their debut in a crosstown Division game against St. Cloud State on Oct. 3. Then on Oct. 18, Winona State returns to full WCCHA action after two years away on Oct. 18 when they host Minnesota State, while Gustavus Adolphus will play their first ever league game on the road against UW-Eau Claire.

The WCCHA season officially begins the weekend of September 20-21 with an intriguing interdivisional matchup in Fargo, ND as North Dakota State will host UW-Eau Claire. The following weekend, the first divisional games will take place as defending WCCHA Champions St. Thomas welcome the Blugolds to St. Paul. Bethel will join Gustavus as the final WCCHA team to begin their season when they open on Oct. 18 in Divisional play against NDSU. The final league games will be contested on Saturday, Feb. 1.

Over the course of 5+ months, all 14 WCCHA teams will have the opportunity to earn one of 8 available spots at the 2020 WCCHA Tournament to take place Feb. 7-9, 2020 at the Super Rink at the National Sports Center. Once again, the top three finishers in each division (based solely on Divisional play) will automatically qualify. The remaining two spots will go to the two highest finishers in the KRACH Rankings not otherwise qualified, putting significant value on WCCHA interdivisional and independent play.

The first WCCHA KRACH Rankings of the season will be published Monday, November 4 and updated each week of league play through the final rankings on February 2, 2020 that will lock in the wildcard spots for the 2020 Carla Berg Cup Playoffs.

Outside of conference play, there is plenty to look forward to this year. New this season, the WCCHA is excited to host the 2019 WCCHA Challenge Showcase at the NSC Super Rink in Blaine, MN on October 25-27. By virtue of their finish in the 2018-2019 season, eight WCCHA teams will take on eight challengers in a huge weekend of competitive hockey. Read more about the showcase here.

In addition, there are numerous notable non-conference matchups to look forward to. For the fourth year running, a WCCHA team will travel to Florida to take on defending ACHA Champions Florida Gulf Coast University, with Minnesota accepting the challenge this year. The Gophers will also make the return trip to play St. Louis University after hosting the Billikens in 2018-2019. Across the river in Wisconsin, UW-Eau Claire will be road tested with games against National Tournament attendee Marian and Iowa State.

Wisconsin opens their season early with a heavy in-state schedule, continuing their annual series against UW-Oshkosh and Marquette, while adding UW-Milwaukee. Jumping westward, both North Dakota and North Dakota State have added in-state non-conference opponents to their schedules, highlighted by NDSU's two series - including a season opening weekend - against reigning West Region #1 and likely Nationals contender University of Mary.

St. Thomas will also make another trip west to play the Mauraders, later welcoming the University of Denver to St. Paul in January for the first ever games between the two schools. Up in Duluth, the University of Minnesota-Duluth will look to build upon last season with an always competitive series against Michigan Tech on tap in October and a stateline battle against UW-Superior.

Not to be outdone, Winona State has put together an impressive non-conference schedule as they return to postseason eligibility, with series against Marquette, Iowa State, and Lewis as well as a crosstown series against St. Mary's. Minnesota State will also play a home-and-home series against the Cyclones for the second year running. Nearby, UW-La Crosse has new leadership and will look to contend, with non-conference series against UW-Platteville (D3), Bemidji Statre and St. Mary's an opportunity to hone thier approach for league play.

With record membership on board for 2019-2020, the coming year is certain to be as competitive as ever as teams battle not only for the opportunity to lift the Carla Berg Cup, but also for spots at the 2020 ACHA Central Regional and National Tournaments. We hope you'll join us for what is sure to be a fantastic season.

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