Penn State adds Division I hockey teams
Penn State University has announced the establishment of NCAA Division I men’s and women’s ice hockey teams. The Nittany Lions hockey teams will take to the ice beginning with the 2012-13
season.
Terry and Kim Pegula recently donated $88 million to Penn State. The donation will fund the building of a new multi-purpose arena that will house the ice hockey teams.
Terry Pegula graduated from Penn State in 1973 and went on to found East Resources Inc, an energy company focused on natural gas in the West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York areas.
Earlier this year Pegula sold the company to Royal Dutch Shell PLC for $4.9 billion.
Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley released the following statement regarding the formation of the hockey teams; “This is the fulfilment of a dream for many that have been long time
advocates and supporters of Penn State hockey. As with all of our programs, we will expect both the men’s and women’s teams to compete for championships and achieve at a high level.”
Reports indicate that the Penn State men’s hockey team will play as an independent before ultimately going to an NCAA conference.
Penn State will be the sixth Big Ten school with a hockey program, joining Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The possibility exists that these colleges could form a Big Ten hockey conference. Currently, the other five schools are split between Central Collegiate Hockey Association and the Western
College Hockey Association.
Penn State is the largest university in Pennsylvania, with an enrolment of 94,000 students. The state is also home to the 2009 Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins as well as the 2010
Stanley Cup finalist Philadelphia Flyers. In 2013 Pittsburgh will be the host city for the NCAA Frozen Four hockey championship, in 2014 the Frozen Four will be hosted by Philadelphia.
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