The last remaining member of College Hockey America without a conference to call home in 2010-11, Alabama-Huntsville, has been denied membership in the CCHA by vote of the CCHA Council, comprised of athletic administrators and faculty athletic representatives.

“The league completed its due diligence of the application for membership submitted by the University of Alabama in Huntsville with careful consideration and discussion of various issues,” CCHA Commissioner Tom Anastos said. “At this time we have chosen to maintain our membership at its current level.

“The CCHA will remain focused on maintaining and strengthening our existing members to ensure the conference’s continued success and long-term viability.”

The decision leaves the CCHA with 11 members in 2010-11, given the departure of Nebraska-Omaha to the WCHA. It would leave Alabama-Huntsville as the only independent in Division I men’s hockey.

“We are certainly disappointed in the decision and feel like our program has a lot to offer to any league,” UAH director of athletics Jim Harris said in a statement. “We are going to have a cooling off period and then look at other options that are available to us and then move forward.”

“Many people have put a lot of work into trying to make this happen; from all of the Chargers past and present through to (university president David) Williams and the leaders in the city of Huntsville,” noted Charger head coach Danton Cole, currently in Europe coaching a USA Hockey team. “I do not know what the future holds for the program, but we will be looking at our options and move forward in the best interest of the university.”

The Chargers have been a member of the CHA since 1999-00. They are slated to serve as host of the 2012 Frozen Four in Tampa.