STORRS, Conn. – Saturday, May 22, 2021 will mark the start of a new era for UConn’s men’s and women’s hockey programs with the official opening of the all-new UConn ice hockey arena on Jim Calhoun Way.

The Director of Athletics joined current and former student-athletes of hockey. David Benoit and head coaches Mike Cavanaugh and Chris MacKenzie as well as new interim UConn chairman Dr. Andre Agwunobi, UConn board chairman Dan Toscano ’87 and other board members Thomas Ritter, Esq., ’77 and Marilda Gandara, Esq . ’78 as well as Hockey East Association Commissioner Steve Metcalf.

In addition to the inauguration, there was the announcement of two major donations that will help bring the project to fruition. Frank and Pat Longobardi, who couldn’t be there on Saturday, but Frank is a former UConn hockey student-athlete who graduated a year before Pat in 1977. Frank recently retired as CEO of CohnReznick and committed $ 1,000,000 to the new hockey arena this spring. He joins a group of generous former student-athletes, including Tony Rizza and Doug Elliot, who have chosen to donate over $ 1,000,000 to their alma mater.

In addition, Peter Werth, CEO of ChemWerth, Inc., has once again stepped up to support our student-athletes. He has been incredibly generous over the past few years and recently donated $ 7.5M to athletics, of which $ 2.5M will go to the new hockey arena. With this gift, Peter gave over $ 15 million to UConn Athletics and over $ 37 million to UConn as a whole.

Saturday’s ceremony kicks off the project to build the new 2,600-seat arena, which will be located next to the current Freitas Ice Arena in the Athletes’ Quarter on Jim Calhoun Way. In the bowl, the seats will be 80% with backrests and 20% on benches. Team facilities will include full Division I training and support for both women’s and men’s teams; team lounges; dry locker area and changing rooms with video screens; changing rooms for visiting teams; training area with a hydrotherapy area; weights and conditioning room; and other areas such as the coaches’ offices, press room, dining room, ice factory and spaces for support services.

The new facility will also feature a large center-hung display board with perimeter ribbons and will be designed to create an exceptional fan experience with state-of-the-art sound and lighting features.

Fans will also be able to access an ice-level lounge behind the home goalkeeper with a coffee table and catering service. A standing room platform reserved for students will also be located behind the opposing goalkeeper. The final design will also include aspects to make the facility as efficient as possible in terms of energy and water use, in line with the University’s commitment to make its capital projects as environmentally friendly. environment as possible.

The new 97,300 square foot facility will also meet all NCAA Division I ice hockey requirements and all Hockey East regulations, which the Freitas Ice Forum does not. With that in mind, Hockey East gave UConn some leeway when it allowed the University to join the conference for men’s hockey despite needing time to provide a proper facility.

UConn Athletics Director David Benoit – “Once all the earth has been moved and all construction is complete, this space will be occupied by one of the best ice hockey facilities in the country. I want to thank the leaders of the University for their support. continuing to our student-athletes. Led by President Toscano, the Board of Directors continues to engage the athletics division has been the driving force behind the transformation of Jim Calhoun Way and our Olympic Village. “

“The Rizza Performance Center, Morrone Stadium, Elliot Ballpark, Burrill Family Field are wonderful places to stay for many student-athletes and also make UConn a more attractive option for high profile prospects. installation to be held in this space will be another transformative project and anyone who walks or drives the Jim Calhoun Way will be remembered for our institutional strength and the bright future that lies ahead. “

Interim President of the University of Connecticut, Dr Andrew Agwunobi – “I wanted to show my support because athletics is so important to the University of Connecticut and to the entire state of Connecticut. The athletics district we currently occupy is incredibly impressive and the addition of an arena hockey will certainly cover this area which is a source of great pride on our campus. I continue to be amazed by all the wonderful things that are happening on this campus. It is a great day for UConn hockey. A great day for the University of Connecticut and a great day for all of us. GO Huskies! “

Chairman of the Board of Directors of UConn Dan Toscano ’87 – “On behalf of our student-athletes, I want to thank everyone who worked hard to get a bunch of dirt here so that we can build this thing and get into this rink and create championships with our student-athletes now.” and forever. “

UConn Head Women’s Hockey Coach Chris MacKenzie – “I’ve been here eight years and we’ve been talking about building an ice rink forever. I see the shovels and now I believe it. It’s a great day for our program and a great day for our university. It’s a game. -change type of day for our program. We strive to be excellent at everything we do and this new rink will give our student-athletes the opportunity to reach their full potential. It will be another beautiful building in this which has become one of the best sports districts in the country. We have spent over twenty years as a program at the Freitas Ice Forum and it is just humbling for me to be a part of this groundbreaking story of a new building that will take us to I believe this rink will bring us to the top of our sport and there are many people to thank. The University management and the board of directors, we are delighted and grateful for this support. “

UConn Head Men’s Hockey Coach Mike Cavanaugh – “The late Bob Johnson, coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the University of Wisconsin had a famous saying known in all the rinks,” It’s a big day for hockey. “Today is a big day for the UConn hockey. Not only will this arena help us attract top-level, elite talent, more importantly, it will provide our players with a way to maximize their potential and achieve their dreams in life. For most of our guys, that is, graduate and get into the NHL, and this arena is definitely going to help them improve their journey. When you look at the two buildings, the Rizza Performance Center or go up and see this baseball field, if our rink can be anything like that, we’re going to have the best facility in the whole country. When you create a program from scratch, you need an entire community to do it. That’s what wins the championships. You have to build that foundation or your program will collapse. help me do this and I can’t thank you enough. “

Hockey Association East Commissioner Steve Metcalf – “Hockey East is home to some truly iconic ice hockey rinks, some of the best in the country. Now UConn will join that group with this magnificent new facility that will take these programs to new heights that they have never had before. never seen. before that. “