COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Commissioner Heather Weems has signed a four-year contract extension with the Conference, the NCHC Board of Directors announced on Thursday. The contract keeps Weems at the helm of the National through at least June 30, 2030.
 
Weems recently completed her fourth season as the Commissioner of the NCHC, a position she has held since June 27, 2022.
 
“I am deeply grateful to Board Chair Morgan Olsen, the NCHC’s Board of Directors and its athletics directors for their confidence in my leadership and the opportunity to continue serving as Commissioner of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference,” Weems said. “The success of the NCHC over the past four years has been driven by the collective commitment of our member institutions. Together, we have expanded the conference, celebrated three national championships, and successfully navigated a period of unprecedented change in collegiate athletics while remaining focused on providing an exceptional student-athlete experience.”
 
Since Weems has taken the reins of the NCHC, the Conference has grown its membership from eight to 10 teams with the additions of Arizona State University, in 2024, and the University of St. Thomas, which became official on July 1. She led the NCHC through its first-ever foray into expansion when the Sun Devils were added two years ago.
 
Weems also introduced and executed the transition of the NCHC Frozen Faceoff from a neutral-site tournament to being held entirely on campus sites. The first fully on-campus Frozen Faceoff was successfully completed this past March, with Denver lifting the National Cup in front of a sold-out crowd on home ice.
 
Under Weems' leadership, the NCHC has maintained a strong financial position, generating an operating surplus in each of the past four fiscal years while achieving record media rights revenue through the continued growth of NCHC.tv. Guided by a philosophy of reinvesting in its membership, the Conference has returned annual financial distributions to its institutions and invested in conference-wide initiatives, including video replay enhancements, made possible by the passionate support of college hockey fans.
 
“On behalf of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Board of Directors, I am pleased that Heather Weems will continue to lead the NCHC office as Commissioner,” said Arizona State University Executive Vice President, Treasurer and CFO and NCHC Chair of the Board Morgan R. Olsen. “Heather is a consummate professional who represents our conference and the sport of college hockey with integrity, wisdom and a focus on doing what is right. We look forward to the continued success of our teams and The National under her leadership.”
 
On the ice, an NCHC team has captured the NCAA National Championship in three of Weems’ four seasons as Commissioner. The National is home to the last three NCAA National Champions with Denver winning the title in 2024 and 2026, while Western Michigan won its first NCAA championship in 2025. Overall, the NCHC is home to eight of the last 10 NCAA National Champions dating back to 2016.
 
Individually under Weems’ watch, the NCHC has seen one Hobey Baker Award winner in Minnesota Duluth’s Max Plante this year, and one Spencer Penrose Award winner in WMU head coach Pat Ferschweiler, who earned the honor in 2025. The National is also home to 21 AHCA All-Americans since Weems took over as Commissioner, as well as nine CSC Academic All-Americans since 2023, including three this year.
 
“Our members continue to invest in championship-caliber hockey through outstanding coaching, player development, and an unwavering commitment to the health, well-being, and success of our student-athletes. Those investments have positioned the NCHC as the national leader in college hockey,” Weems said. “I remain committed to serving our members with integrity, collaboration, and a relentless focus on advancing the best interests of our student-athletes, the National and college hockey.”
 
This past spring, Weems joined fellow Division I hockey commissioners in successfully advocating for revisions to NCAA eligibility legislation that preserves hockey's unique development pathway while maintaining opportunity for all NCAA student-athletes.
 
Weems has been involved with the National since it began play in 2013, serving as Director of Athletics at NCHC-member St. Cloud State University from 2012-2022, before jumping into the role of Commissioner.