University of Massachusets Athletics
Mullins Center Awarded NCAA Hockey Regional
June 27, 2003 | Hockey
June 27, 2003
AMHERST, Mass. - The University of Massachusetts was awarded the NCAA Northeast Regional for the 2005 NCAA Ice Hockey Championships to be held at the Mullins Center on March 26-27, 2005. It is the first time that the NCAA Ice Hockey Championships will be held at the Mullins Center.
UMass Athletic Director Ian McCaw, who is the chairman of the Division I men's ice hockey committee and must sit out of the voting process when discussing the University of Massachusetts per NCAA rules, is thrilled to have the opportunity to host the 2005 Northeast Regional.
"We are looking forward to hosting the 2005 NCAA Northeast Ice Hockey Regional," said McCaw. "It will be an exciting event for UMass fans and the entire community."
Mullins Center Executive Director Nancy Beauchamp is also excited about the chance to host the regional.
"The Mullins Center is very excited to be chosen as a regional host," said Beauchamp. "Given the buzz around hockey at UMass, it is definitely a win-win situation for UMass and the Mullins Center. The fact that we have the facilities to host a regional, but also have a practice rink to meet the needs of all four teams, ensures that the Mullins Center and the University of Massachusetts will be terrific hosts."
The Mullins Center is one of four regional sites selected by the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Committee, joining the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich. (Midwest Regional), the Worcester Centrum in Worcester, Mass. (East Regional) and Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis, Minn. (West). The committee also announced the regional sites for the 2006 and 2007 tournament and the sites for the 2007 and 2008 Frozen Fours. The 2007 Frozen Four will be contested at the Savvis Center in St. Louis, Mo., and the 2008 event will take place at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo.
"This presents a great opportunity for the University of Massachusetts and UMass hockey," said Head Coach Don Cahoon. "Anyone with the slightest bit of interest in college athletics will be thrilled at this opportunity. We are just ecstatic at the chance to host the NCAA Regional, and hopefully will do our part by playing in it."
The Mullins Center has been home to Minuteman hockey since the program's resurrection in 1993. The arena sits 8,389 for hockey. The Mullins Center has played host to one other NCAA Championship as the 1995 NCAA Women's Volleyball Final Four was played in Amherst.
The UMass hockey team will open its 11th season in the Mullins Center on Oct. 9 against Connecticut. UMass will return all but two players from last year's 19-17-1 season.
