The NAIA Men's Ice Hockey Championship held a single elimination competition to determined the collegiate national champion from the inaugural 1968 to 1984.
The tournament returned to the 4-team format for the final two seasons with declining hockey participation at the NAIA level.
NAIA ice hockey also had an international presence in the early years of the championship with membership in Ontario.
[2][3] The NAIA requires a minimum of 15 schools to sponsor a sport at the varsity level to begin the process from emerging to championship categories.
[10] In April 2020, Roosevelt University began to sponsor men's ice hockey after inheriting Robert Morris University's men's team and its ACHA membership because Robert Morris was integrated into Roosevelt a month before.