▁the ▁first ▁organiz ational ▁meeting , ▁but ▁their ▁team ▁joined ▁the ▁league ▁shortly ▁after ▁its ▁formation . ▁ ▁The ▁league ▁began ▁its ▁first ▁official ▁season ▁of ▁inter col leg iate ▁competition ▁in ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 1 . ▁ ▁There ▁were ▁ 8 ▁teams ▁in ▁the ▁league , ▁including ▁Car neg ie ▁M ell on , ▁Du ques ne , ▁I UP , ▁P enn ▁State ▁West , ▁Pitt , ▁Saint ▁Francis , ▁Saint ▁Vincent , ▁and ▁S li pp ery ▁Rock . ▁Despite ▁helping ▁found ▁the ▁organization , ▁G annon ▁University ▁( then ▁G annon ▁College ) ▁did ▁not ▁enter ▁a ▁team ▁in ▁the ▁W PI HA ▁until ▁a ▁few ▁years ▁later . ▁ ▁McC ur dy ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁W PI HA ▁Commission er ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁three ▁seasons ▁of ▁the ▁association . ▁Following ▁his ▁ten ure , ▁Sam ▁Or r ▁commission ed ▁the ▁W PI HA ▁for ▁one ▁season ▁before ▁hand ing ▁the ▁reign s ▁over ▁to ▁Jack ▁McK inn on , ▁who ▁served ▁as ▁Commission er ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁It ▁was ▁during ▁McK inn on ’ s ▁ten ure ▁that ▁the ▁W PI HA ▁officially ▁became ▁the ▁Western ▁Pennsylvania ▁Colleg iate ▁Hockey ▁Association ▁( WP CH A ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁Michael ▁G . ▁K ale ina ▁from ▁Saint ▁Vincent ▁College ▁was ▁elected ▁the ▁fourth ▁Commission er ▁of ▁the ▁W P CH A ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁ ▁K