Tennessee State Univerity, the historically Black educational institution in Nashville, has launched a feasibility study to determine if the university should be the first historically Black institution to have varsity men’s and women’s ice hockey teams. The proposed program would also be the first college ice hockey program in the state of Tennessee.
Since 2017, the National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association have sponsored feasibility studies to U.S. colleges and universities that are interested in exploring the addition of NCAA D-I men’s and women’s ice hockey to their athletic offerings. The study helps guide the schools through the planning, processes, and requisites for establishing a varsity hockey program. This project was launched to aid the development of high-level hockey across the United States, which will provide more opportunities for elite players, access and exposure to new families, and new facilities.
The feasibility study will answer questions about how viable is hockey at Tennessee State, and what needs to happen to put teams on the ice. Over the last decade, Middle Tennessee has seen the second-highest percentage increase in youth hockey in the United States. In the past six years alone, there have been four new facilities – and seven sheets of ice – that have been built or are in the process of being built in the region.
Mikki Allen, director of athletics at Tennessee State Univerity, said that “we are extremely excited about the prospect of adding men’s and women’s ice hockey to our athletics programs. Having the support of the Nashville Predators and the NHL is truly phenomenal and it speaks to the commitment that these two organizations have to growing the game of hockey.”
The feasibility study is expected to be completed this coming fall.
Come on TSU, are you kidding me! Whoever was the university administrator that approved of this study should be fired for administrative malfeasance. Instead of wasting university finite resources on a “hockey feasibility study”, you need to dedicating these resources to:
1) increasing the university property ownership stock, 2) seriously strengthening academic programs, and most important 3) significantly increasing your overall retention and graduation rates.
Finally, it appears to me that many of these so-called Black HBCU Presidents and Chancellors are more concerned about being Validated by white academia and white politicians as compared to making decisions in the best interest of HBCUs.
What next Tennessee State University an Equestrian team? Give me a break.