CSB+SJU students and athletes need an on-campus hockey rink

St. John’s University and the College of St. Benedict hockey teams have been perennial powers in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) in recent years. The Johnnies have made the last five MIAC tournaments, while the Bennies are in the midst of their first MIAC playoff season in 21 years with a very promising team. Since the beginning of time, both schools have played the majority of home games at off-campus sites. SJU plays at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center at St. Cloud State University. The Bennies play at the St. Cloud Municipal Athletic Center. When I was touring schools before I chose to attend CSB+SJU, almost every school I walked into had a hockey rink in their athletic complex. I believe that if we had a home rink on campus there would be more pros than cons.

As a kid who grew up playing Minnesota high school hockey, it is all about the student atmosphere. As a student worker in athletics, a rink on campus would help for recruiting purposes, and it would drive more students through the doors. I believe that our social media team does a great job promoting games, but students just don’t want to take the time to drive from St. Joe to St. Cloud. When I stream road games at St. Olaf, Augsburg and other MIAC schools you notice the students behind the glass. This is something that we just do not have at CSB and SJU, and it is sad to see high-caliber athletes perform in front of such limited crowds.