NCAA Division I independents (women's hockey)
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NCAA Division I independents (independent schools) are four-year institutions that do not participate in a conference in a given sport. This does not mean that Division I independents schedule each other for competition like conference schools do. There are considerably fewer independent schools than in years past; many independent schools later join (or attempt to join) established conferences.
In women's hockey, only one school, Sacred Heart University, is currently a Division I independent. Its men's team plays in a conference that does not sponsor women's hockey (Atlantic Hockey).
The three other independent schools in 2003-04 joined conferences in the summer of 2004:
- Clarkson University: ECAC Hockey League
- University of North Dakota: Western Collegiate Hockey Association
- Quinnipiac University: College Hockey America (men play in Atlantic Hockey)
In 2005, the women's team of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will move from the Division III level of play to Division I, and will spend the 2005-06 season as a Division I Independent before moving to the ECAC Hockey League.