What Hockey Team Is in South Carolina? (NHL, ECHL, Juniors, College)

South Carolina has long been known for warm-climate sports like football, basketball, and baseball.

However, “The Palmetto State” also has ice hockey. In fact, South Carolina has two professional hockey teams.

In this article, I’ll show you what professional hockey teams are in South Carolina and what college, junior, and high school hockey teams compete in the southern state.

Pssssst! Are you curious about hockey teams in other U.S. states? You can learn more by checking out our other posts: What Hockey Team Is in North Carolina, What Hockey Team Is in Arizona, and What Hockey Team Is in Pennsylvania.

Let’s dive in.

Here’s What Hockey Teams Are In South Carolina:

South Carolina doesn’t have an NHL team. Their neighbor state, North Carolina, is home to the Carolina Hurricanes. But, SC does have two mid-level professional hockey teams in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL): South Carolina Stingrays and Greenville Swamp Rabbits. They also have a variety of college teams and junior teams.

What Hockey Teams Are in South Carolina?

So, what hockey teams are in South Carolina? In total, there are two professional hockey teams in The Palmetto State. South Carolina also has a variety of college hockey and junior teams. Here’s what hockey teams are in South Carolina:

NHL

South Carolina doesn’t currently have a hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). The closest NHL team to South Carolina is the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, North Carolina.

AHL

While several U.S. states have an American Hockey League (AHL) team, unfortunately, South Carolina doesn’t. However, they do have two other professional hockey teams.

ECHL

South Carolina’s top professional hockey teams play out of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). The ECHL is a mid-level professional hockey league that’s one level down from the American Hockey League (AHL). The South Carolina Stingrays are the affiliated farm team for the AHL’s Hershey Bears. The Greenville Swamp Rabbits are the affiliated farm for the AHL’s Ontario Reign.

Juniors

South Carolina has one junior hockey team. The Columbia Infantry is a Tier III junior hockey team located in Columbia, South Carolina. They play in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL).

D1, D2, D3 College Hockey

South Carolina has several college hockey teams. However, they don’t have any D1 college hockey teams. They have three D3 hockey teams that compete in the College Hockey South (CHS) conference in the Southern United States.

Clemson University Tigers (CHS Men’s D3)
College of Charleston Cougars (CHS Men’s D3)
University of South Carolina (CHS Men’s D3)

High School Hockey

South Carolina’s primary high school hockey league is the South Carolina Scholastic Hockey Association (SCSHA). There are two divisions in the league: National Division (checking) and Palmetto Division (non-checking).

Is there an NHL Team in South Carolina?

So, does SC have an NHL team?

No, South Carolina, unfortunately, doesn’t have a team competing in the National Hockey League. However, South Carolina does have two professional hockey teams and several other high-level teams you can watch.

South Carolina has two teams in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL): Greenville Swamp Rabbits and South Carolina Stingrays.

What Hockey Team Plays in Greenville, South Carolina?

In Greenville, South Carolina, you’ll find one of South Carolina’s two professional ice hockey teams: The Greenville Swamp Rabbits. They compete in the South Division of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL).

The Swamp Rabbits play their home games at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena located at 650 N Academy St, Greenville.

What City Are the South Carolina Stingrays In?

The South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL play in North Charleston, South Carolina. The team plays their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum located at 5001 Coliseum Dr, North Charleston.

Is There a Hockey Team in Columbia, SC?

Columbia, South Carolina unfortunately doesn’t have a hockey team. The city used to be home to a mid-level professional hockey team called the Columbia Inferno.

The Inferno played in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) between 2001 and 2008. They played their home games at the Carolina Coliseum. However, due to financial reasons, the team was disbanded.

What Hockey Teams Are Near Myrtle Beach?

The closest professional hockey team to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina would be the South Carolina Stingrays located in North Charleston (2 hour drive).

The closest non-professional hockey team is the Wilmington Junior Seahawks located in Wilmington, North Carolina (1 hour 40-minute drive).

Myrtle Beach used to have an ECHL team called the Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz that started in the 2005-06 season. However, in 2009, the team was disbanded.

How Many Division 2 Hockey Teams Are in South Carolina?

South Carolina doesn’t have any division 2 hockey teams. However, they do have three Division 3 hockey teams.

The three D3 hockey teams compete in the College Hockey South (CHS) conference in the Southern United States. They are:

College of Charleston Cougars (CHS Men’s D3)
Clemson University Tigers (CHS Men’s D3)
University of South Carolina (CHS Men’s D3)

Is There High School Hockey in South Carolina?

Yes, South Carolina has high school hockey. The main league is the South Carolina Scholastic Hockey Association (SCSHA). The league has two divisions: National Division (checking) and Palmetto Division (non-checking).

The National Division Includes:

Columbia Fusion
Greenville
Holy City Rebels
Charleston Mariners

The Palmetto Division Includes:

Greenville
Palmetto Ice Raiders
Columbia Fusion

Are you curious to know more about hockey in other states across the U.S.? Don’t forget to check out our other full guide: Hockey Teams in Every U.S. State: Complete NHL & College List (2023).