DANBURY, Conn. - Lebanon Valley College men's ice hockey will rejoin the ECAC West conference when it returns to NCAA Division III play in 2016-17.

Lebanon Valley announced on Feb. 23 that it would return men's ice hockey to NCAA Division III in 2016-17, after playing the last five seasons in ACHA Division I. LVC is also adding women's ice hockey in 2016-17 and is exploring ECAC conference affiliation for that program, with a potential decision to be made later this year.

"We are thrilled to welcome Lebanon Valley into the ECAC Men's West Hockey League," said Dr. Kevin T. McGinniss, President and CEO of the ECAC. "Lebanon Valley has been a premier member of the ECAC for years and we are now proud to have them as the eighth team in ECAC Men's West."

The addition of Lebanon Valley will take the league to eight teams, along with Elmira, Hobart, Manhattanville, Nazareth, Neumann, Utica, and Stevenson's new program which will start play in 2016-17. With the additions, the league could receive an automatic NCAA Tournament qualification for its champion as early as the 2018-19 season. Lebanon Valley has had a long relationship with the ECAC in ice hockey, joining the ECAC Northeast upon its formation in 1998 and later competing in the ECAC West from 2004-05 to 2009-10.

"We look forward to again being part of one of the nation's best hockey leagues in the ECAC West," said LVC Athletic Director Rick Beard '90 M'92. "LVC has enjoyed a long-standing and beneficial relationship with the ECAC in all of our sports, and we are pleased to continue that with men's ice hockey."

Head Coach Don Parsons, the 2014 ESCHL Coach of the Year, has led Lebanon Valley to a .558 winning percentage and four postseason appearances since 2011, with frequest appearances in the ACHA National Top 25.

"I am very excited for our program to be rejoining ECAC West. We have spent a lot of time and discussion on which conference would be the best fit for Lebanon Valley College and our hockey program," Parsons said. "I believe the ECAC West is one of the strongest in NCAA Division III and we are looking forward to the challenge!"
 

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About Lebanon Valley College
Lebanon Valley College is a private, coeducational college founded in 1866 and dedicated to the liberal arts. The College offers 36 undergraduate majors plus self-designed majors and a range of minors, concentrations, and pre-professional options, as well as graduate degree programs in athletic training, business administration, music education, physical therapy, and science education. The College has 1,573 full-time undergraduate students and 106 full-time faculty. Students can choose from more than 90 clubs and organizations, and 12 study abroad programs. LVC awards generous academic scholarships to those whose high school records demonstrate a commitment to challenge and achievement. Learn more at www.lvc.edu.

About the ECAC
In the 76 years since its inception, the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has emerged as the nation's largest Conference. The ECAC has grown considerably from its charter membership of 58, currently boasting over 300 member schools in Divisions I, II and III, ranging in location from Maine to South Carolina, and westerly to Missouri.  In the 2014-15 academic year, the ECAC will host nearly 100 championships in 32 men's and women's sports as the sponsors of over 5,800 varsity teams and 111,000 male and female athletes. For more information, visit www.ecacsports.com.