Lindenwood University to add NCAA Division I men's hockey next season

Lindenwood University announced Thursday it will add an NCAA Division I men's ice hockey program next season.

A group led by the St. Louis Blues and representatives from the NHL and College Hockey Inc. first discussed the possibility of Lindenwood adding a men's program in 2018. They helped fund a feasibility study, which determined there was enough support for Division I college hockey in the region.
Located in St. Charles, Missouri, the university announced last month it would transition its athletic programs from Division II to Division I. It will be the 63rd NCAA Division I men's ice hockey program in the United States.
"This marks an exciting new chapter in the legacy of Lindenwood University and our men's ice hockey program," Lindenwood president Dr. John Porter said. "Our student-athletes have worked hard on the ice and in the classrooms, and have earned this opportunity to join our complement of NCAA sports as we transition to NCAA Division I."
Lindenwood was one of two schools in the United States that had women's ice hockey at the highest collegiate level, but not men's.
All Lindenwood home games will continue to be played at Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, Missouri, which is seven miles from campus and the Blues' practice facility. It was announced in October 2020 that Lindenwood would partner with the St. Louis Sports Commission to host a NCAA Division I men's hockey regional in 2024 and the NCAA Division I Frozen Four at Enterprise Center, home of the Blues, in 2025.

"When we began working with Lindenwood more than four years ago, commissioning a feasibility study to explore adding men's [Division I] hockey, there was already palpable excitement around hockey at the school and in St Louis, which absolutely exploded with the Blues' Stanley Cup win in 2019," NHL vice president of hockey development and strategic collaboration Kevin Westgarth said. "Though the last couple years navigating a global pandemic has slowed progress, Lindenwood University never lost hope or determination, and with great support of the Blues are now poised for success in [Division I]. The future is bright for hockey families, new and old, in St. Louis and beyond."