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SCSU’s Herb Brooks hockey center gets $12.8M from state for upgrades

ST. CLOUD — St. Cloud State’s Herb Brooks National Hockey Center got a big break this week. After more than six years of asking for state funding to get a new refrigeration system for the arena’s two ice rinks, the state Legislature passed an estimated $12.8 million in funding late Monday, June 9, for a […]

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ST. CLOUD — St. Cloud State’s Herb Brooks National Hockey Center got a big break this week.

After more than six years of asking for state funding to get a new refrigeration system for the arena’s two ice rinks, the state Legislature passed an estimated $12.8 million in funding late Monday, June 9, for a replacement. The original and outdated R-22 system was originally installed when the building opened in 1989.

SCSU Hockey R-22 Refrigeration System

A look at the original R-22 refrigeration system inside St. Cloud State’s Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. The system was installed when the building opened in 1989.

Contributed / Dan Wolgamott

“We’ll take it,” SCSU Athletic Director Holly Schreiner told St. Cloud LIVE. “It’s been a long process to get here.”

The R-22 system that the Brooks Center uses has been getting phased out in the U.S. for the last 18 years because it contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer. The Herb Brooks National Hockey Center uses between 11,000-12,000 pounds of R-22 that helps cool the cement floors of two Olympic-sized sheets of ice through a direct refrigeration system.

State Sen. Dan Wolgamott, DFL-St. Cloud, told St. Cloud LIVE how relieved he was to get the legislation passed.

“I’ve been a part of this for three years, and I’ve really been pushing this,” Wolgamott said on Tuesday, June 10. “We had reached a crisis point with the old system. The R-22 system currently in place uses chemicals that were banned in the Clean Air Act of 2007. It’s ridiculous that it’s taken this long. If that system had gone out, it would have affected three college hockey teams, but so many youth and high school players as well.

“The Herb is a local staple for hockey players and fans. I’m so grateful to say that a new system is coming.”

Refrigeration is a key for any ice rink.

Rink manager Cory Portner said in November 2023

that he was struggling to find pieces, parts and components needed to keep the old R-22 system functioning.

“(Our system) has been phased, no longer manufactures components that use our (system). So, we’re at the mercy of the market,” Portner said.

“Our refrigeration mechanics have been keeping this thing kind of going for well beyond its lifespan, in my opinion,” he continued. Portner said that 20 or 25 years is a good lifespan, and that “Thirty (years), you should be doing happy dances, so we’re rolling on 30-plus years.”

The university made a similar request with a price tag of $8.5 million in 2019, and the project would also include getting new boards, Plexiglas, lighting and improved humidity control. As a part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, St. Cloud State makes its capital requests through the system to the Minnesota state Legislature.

The construction plan would include turning the Brooks Center’s practice rink into an NHL-sized rink, which is 200 feet long by 85 feet wide. Both ice sheets at the Brooks Center are currently Olympic-sized, which is 200-by-100. The project would also include making the main rink more of a hybrid, making it about 97 feet wide.

While the

St. Cloud State

men’s and women’s hockey teams are the top tenants for the Brooks Center, there are many regular users for the facility.

St. John’s University

, an NCAA Division III team, also practices and plays its home games there.

The St. Cloud Youth Hockey Association rents more than 600 hours of ice time at the Brooks Center annually. The arena also plays host to 10 camps during the offseason, which keeps the facility in use year-round.

Schreiner was admittedly surprised when she heard the news of the bill passing earlier this week.

Holly Schreiner 2023.jpg

Holly Schreiner

Contributed / St. Cloud State University

“I can’t tell you how excited I am about this,” Schreiner said. “We’ve worked for years to get it across the finish line. It’s just taken so long. I felt like we might get let down again. This is good for the university and the hockey community in St. Cloud. I’m grateful to Dan, (St. Cloud State director of university relations) Bernie Omann and every politician that worked on this together.”

Schreiner said work on the project won’t begin until next spring, at the earliest. Schreiner was already setting up meetings for this week to get the project moving, but a lot of paperwork needs to happen first.

“There are different aspects to any replacement, renovation or construction project in the state university system,” Schreiner said. “First, we have to see the official amount we’re getting and see what we can and can’t do within that budget. We have to start with the Request for Proposal process, and that takes time. We’ll do the research, select a bid and order the product.

Herb Brooks National Hockey Center Summer 2023

A look at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center on the campus of St. Cloud State University.

Andy Rennecke / St. Cloud LIVE

“The best-case scenario is that we could get it replaced after next hockey season. It might be delayed until April 2027 if things get slowed up. The fact that this is happening in mid-June instead of at the end of June is a big win for us. At least we’re starting the conversations about how to begin.”

Wolgamott credited “a good bipartisan negotiation” for getting the bill passed.

“St. Cloud State hockey is such an important part of our community for so many reasons,” Wolgamott said. “It’s part of who we are in St. Cloud. The National Hockey Center and that system has seen the wear and tear (since 1989). The NCHC had gone to the university asking them to do something about this. It’s not safe for so many reasons. This is our job as state legislators.”

Asked if he’s concerned about St. Cloud State’s infrastructure as a whole, Wolgamott acknowledged it’s reaching “a crisis point.” He’s making it one of his top priorities to help St. Cloud State get back on track financially, while also acknowledging that the state owns the buildings on campus and that many of them fall into disrepair.

“The health and well-being of SCSU directly affects the St. Cloud community. I feel like we have momentum to get St. Cloud State back on its feet,” Wolgamot said. “The MnSCU system is asking for $25 million in one-time money for demolition of old buildings, including at SCSU. We weren’t able to get that in the budget this year.

“To me, demolition is not a negative thing. It’s all about right-sizing these campuses. The college experience has changed. We don’t need these huge buildings and footprints in the 21st century. At SCSU, demolition means opening up green space and cutting down costs with the maintenance of these dorms and buildings. SCSU is at the top of the list for that in the near future.”

St. Cloud LIVE sports reporter Mick Hatten contributed to this report.

DSC_5309.jpeg

St. Cloud State men’s hockey players give a stick salute to fans after the annual Red/Black intrasquad scrimmage that was held on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud.

Abi Semanko / SCSU Athletics





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Biggest Arenas in College Hockey: Top 5 Highest Capacity in NCAA

College hockey’s importance to the professional game and its relevance on a national level have never been higher.  But, for some schools, where college hockey ranks higher than any other sport, this newfound attention isn’t new to them.  Many of the best programs in the NCAA have programs and stadiums of gargantuan size and importance […]

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College hockey’s importance to the professional game and its relevance on a national level have never been higher. 

But, for some schools, where college hockey ranks higher than any other sport, this newfound attention isn’t new to them. 

Many of the best programs in the NCAA have programs and stadiums of gargantuan size and importance to their school community. Here’s a ranking of the five largest arenas, by capacity, in Division 1 college hockey. 

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (Value City Arena) – 17,500

The Buckeyes play in a stadium that seats more fans than nine NHL teams’ home stadiums. Ohio’s NHL team, the Columbus Blue Jackets, only seats roughly 600 more fans at Nationwide Arena.

Value City Arena is located in the heart of Ohio State’s campus, and it’s a roughly 15-minute walk away from where the Buckeyes play their football games at Ohio Stadium. 

Like some college hockey arenas, Value City also hosts Ohio State’s men’s and women’s basketball games. It’s also hosted some major musical acts for concerts. 

The Buckeyes began playing college hockey in 1963 but have never won a national championship. They have two Frozen Four appearances and two conference tournament championships in the CCHA, but none since joining the Big Ten’s hockey conference. 

2. Wisconsin Badgers (Kohl Center) – 15,325

Opened in 1998, Madison’s Kohl Center is home to the six-time NCAA champion Wisconsin Badgers. 

Like Value City, the Kohl Center is also home to Wisconsin’s men’s and women’s basketball teams. It also regularly hosts the state’s high school basketball and wrestling tournaments.

The stadium was named after Wisconsin politician and businessman Herb Kohl, whose family owns the Kohl’s department stores. Kohl donated $25 million in 1995 for the construction of the stadium. 

Despite being around 2,000 seats smaller than Ohio State’s stadium, it had the nation’s second highest attendance last season, compared to the 18th highest for the Buckeyes. 

But don’t get all riled up just yet, sensitive Ohio State fans, you still have an all-time record of 36-28-5 record against the Badgers. 

3. North Dakota Fighting Hawks (Ralph Engelstad Arena) – 11,640

Even though it comes in as third on this list, North Dakota’s home arena, often referred to as just ‘The Ralph,’ is generally regarded as one of the nation’s college hockey stadiums. 

It’s been called the “Taj Mahal of Hockey” and in 2004 the New York Times called it “the Little Rink on the Prairie.” 

The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, labeled it as “one of the most beautiful buildings we have in North America.” I assume he’s just talking about hockey stadiums or else Memphis’ Bass Pro Shop Pyramid would like to have a word. 

It opened in October of 2001 with a $104 million price tag. It has many features that you can’t usually find in college or even professional hockey stadiums, like granite floors in the concourse and cherry wood seats with leather cushions.  

In a state without professional sports or much else to do besides visit Mount Rushmore, which isn’t even in their state, it makes sense that their college hockey team gets all the focus. 

4. Minnesota Gophers (3M Arena) – 10,000

The Minnesota Gophers’ college hockey team is one of the best and most storied in the country, according to Minnesota Gophers fans. 

For anyone who’s ever attended a game where the Gophers are playing and has had to endure thousands of people spelling out their state’s name every time they score, you’ll know they have a strong fan base. 

When you enter the stadium, there’s a sign that says, “Through these gates walk the greatest fans in college hockey.”

They’ve won five national championships, but none since 2003, back when having a Nokia smartphone was a significant status symbol. 

The 3M Arena, whose legal government name is the 3M Arena at Maricucci, was opened in 1993. 

Minnesota-based conglomerate 3M purchased the naming rights for $11.2 million in 2017, but they only paid enough for the stadium to still technically not be called 3M Arena by its fans.

5. UMass Minutemen (Mullins Memorial Center) – 8,387

UMass Amherst’s college hockey team is another of the oldest and most storied programs in the country. 

The team is so old that for much of the program’s early history, they played their games outside on a campus pond. Multiple seasons in their early years were altered by poor weather conditions that made it challenging to play.

The Minutemen won their first NCAA championship in 2021. 

The Mullins Center is also the home of UMass’ men’s and women’s basketball teams. 

It was named after state legislator William Mullins, who proposed in 1985 that the university should have a multipurpose arena on its campus. Someday, I want something named after me just because I asked for it to exist. 

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Texas Tech hoping big money and top transfers lead to unprecedented payback in football | National

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Coyotes’ departure doesn’t mean hockey in Arizona is irrelevant

Wyatt Stowell, member of the Arizona Hockey Union’s mite team, lifts the Tino Cup after winning the tournament during the Ultimate Goalie Showdown on June 17, 2025. (Photo by Ash Cavanaugh/Cronkite News) GILBERT – Almost 15 months have passed since Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo announced that the organization failed to reach a deal on an […]

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Wyatt Stowell, member of the Arizona Hockey Union’s mite team, lifts the Tino Cup after winning the tournament during the Ultimate Goalie Showdown on June 17, 2025. (Photo by Ash Cavanaugh/Cronkite News)

GILBERT – Almost 15 months have passed since Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo announced that the organization failed to reach a deal on an arena and that the team would relocate to Salt Lake City effective immediately. It was a harrowing moment for hockey fans across the Valley, as their franchise had been ripped away from them.

“One of the biggest parts of the team being here was getting the ball rolling for the sport,” said Shane Doan, a Coyotes legend. “Whether it’s from the youth level to the collegiate level the momentum needs to continue.”

What is next for the future of hockey in Arizona?

The Coyotes are a fixture of the past, and Arizonans have turned their hockey appetite toward Arizona State hockey and charity events, one of which was hosted in June featuring several former NHLers.

The Sun Devils made it all the way to the NCHC semifinals this past season, just two wins away from an appearance in the NCAA Tournament

“Hockey is such a big fabric in our community, even without the NHL,” Sun Devil hockey coach Greg Powers said. “This area’s a melting pot of people all over and I don’t think the sport is going away.”

Buffalo Sabres winger Josh Doan, son of all time Coyotes leading scorer Shane, grew up in Scottsdale playing hockey and was one of the few current players skating at the June event.

“Packed house today with over a dozen kids here at the event which is great to see,” Josh said. “I was once in their shoes being from here and the future of the sport is in their hands with the job being to grow the sport.”

Former hockey player Shane Doan smiles before the Tino Cup.

Shane Doan, former Arizona Coyotes captain and legend, smiles during the warmups of his first game of the Tino Cup at the Ultimate Goalie Showdown at AZ ICE in Gilbert, AZ on June 17, 2025. (Photo by Aishling Cavanaugh/Cronkite News)

There have been several groups who want to bring a team back to the Valley, but there’s likely a steep hill to climb for that to come to fruition.

The buzz has seemed to be mostly around ASU hockey, but high school hockey has also received attention with Arizona recently moving its state championship game to Mullet Arena.

ASU hockey remains popular and recorded the 13th highest attendance in college hockey last season, overselling the arena at an average of 101.5 percent.

As for most sports, youth participation is key when it comes to popularity. The hope is that this will be the first domino to fall when it comes to adding a new team to Phoenix in the name of hockey.

That state’s participation in youth hockey grew 5% from 2021-22 to 2022-23, according to a USA Hockey report, and its most recent numbers suggest a slight increase, although not as much as in the past.

“Two reasons for hosting the event were to raise money and get hockey going again in the Valley,” said Eddie Lack, a former NHL goaltender and Scottsdale real estate agent. “This is the best way to do it while business groups work to file a bid to bring a team back.”

Lack hosted the event and hopes to bring it back for years to come.

It’ll have to be a collaborative effort for hockey to continue its trajectory in the state, but the framework has been laid out.

“Obviously, it was tough for the chapter of hockey to close here,” Shane said, “It wasn’t exactly what everybody in Arizona hockey wanted. But there’ll be another chapter, and when that happens it’ll be exciting.”

Time will tell if hockey just shouldn’t work in the deathly hot desert known as Arizona, or whether it should be given another through further development of ice hockey at all levels.





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Steve Spurrier reacts to heavy criticism around Hugh Freeze for golfing: ‘He doesn’t win ball games’

On June 24, AL.com reported that Hugh Freeze had played golf 10 times in June alone, and at least 20 times during the calendar year. Considering Auburn went 5-7 last season, Tigers fans weren’t happy to hear Freeze was spending time on the links instead of the recruiting trail. For reference, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer had […]

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On June 24, AL.com reported that Hugh Freeze had played golf 10 times in June alone, and at least 20 times during the calendar year. Considering Auburn went 5-7 last season, Tigers fans weren’t happy to hear Freeze was spending time on the links instead of the recruiting trail.

For reference, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer had the second-most recorded scores in June with three. On Monday’s episode of Another Dooley Noted Podcast, former Florida head coach Steve Spurrier weighed in on Freeze’s golfing habits.

“He doesn’t win ball games,” Spurrier said. “I think he went 5-7 last year, is that correct? Yeah, he’s got to do better than that at Auburn. But they have good players there, but they’re in sort of a little rut. But they could come out of it.

“This SEC is maybe a little tougher than it was back in the old days. But again, everybody’s got a chance. There’s 16 teams and they just got to go one at a time.”

Spurrier has room to talk. In 23 seasons as a head coach in the SEC, he only ever posted a losing record once. In two years at Auburn, Freeze has already posted more losing campaigns.

Of course, that doesn’t mean Auburn is doomed moving forward. The Tigers had a solid offseason, reeling in the No. 6 class in On3’s 2025 Team Transfer Portal Rankings. Nonetheless, fans won’t be happy with Freeze until his offseason work shows up in the win column.

Freeze isn’t oblivious to this fact. During an appearance on See Ball Get Ball — David Pollack’s podcast — Freeze addressed his golf habits.

“Everybody seems to like to talk about my golf game,” Freeze said. “… I do love golf. I enjoy playing, but what people don’t realize is, I assure you that I never missed a camp day or a recruiting day but if camp got over at 3 o’clock one day, and Jill (Freeze’s wife) and I go out at 4:30, we absolutely might do that.

“I’m not apologizing for that part of it. But my focus is 100% on getting Auburn in that win column this fall. And I do think the biggest thing that’s causing most of it is the recruiting rankings right now, because we’ve been top 10 my two years here in recruiting, and currently we’re not.”

Thankfully for Hugh Freeze, Spurrier has a simple solution to make Auburn fans stop complaining about Freeze’s golf game. Win more.

“They’re upset that he’s not winning enough games,” Spurrier said. “If he was 9-4 last year, they wouldn’t be worried about his golf. So anyway, that that goes hand in hand.”



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US pro athletes reject antitrust exemptions for college sports | National

Professional players unions for the five major US sports leagues — baseball, soccer, basketball, football and hockey — appealed on Monday for American lawmakers to reject antitrust exemptions or legal liability shields in new regulations for college athletes. While compensation for professional players seemingly knows no limit, college athletes in the US have only been […]

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Professional players unions for the five major US sports leagues — baseball, soccer, basketball, football and hockey — appealed on Monday for American lawmakers to reject antitrust exemptions or legal liability shields in new regulations for college athletes.

While compensation for professional players seemingly knows no limit, college athletes in the US have only been allowed to begin profiting from their performance and reputation in recent years. 

Now, professional players are weighing in as Congress works to develop a national framework for student athlete profit-sharing, with pros saying they felt a duty to protect future union members while they played in college.

“Granting an antitrust exemption to the NCAA and its members gives the green light for the organization and schools to collude and work against student athletes,” the unions’ statement said.

“Historically, antitrust exemptions have been used to set prices, limit wages, and restrict access to opportunities provided by open markets, all while shielding abuse from legal recourse.”

The joint statement was sent by the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA), Major League Soccer Players Association (MLSPA), National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) and National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA).

The US House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce is considering the Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements (SCORE) Act after a House settlement last month ensured National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes will receive revenue sharing from their schools for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) profits.


Tourists, residents evacuated from Grand Canyon due to wildfires

In a statement last week Congressman Gus Bilirakis, a Florida Republican, said a national framework governing such profit-sharing was long overdue, and praised the SCORE Act saying it “delivers the stability, clarity and transparency” student athletes and colleges need. 

A 2021 Supreme Court decision held that the NCAA is subject to antitrust laws.

In their joint statement, the players’ unions called for transparency and fair-dealing.

“It is not hard to imagine a situation where NCAA and its members collude to restrict revenue sharing and deny student athletes fair compensation with the confidence of immunity against legal action. Indeed, they have been doing exactly that for decades.

“The NCAA should not have a blank check to impose their will on the financial future of over 500,000 college athletes.”

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Lane Kiffin denies viral tweets being shots towards Hugh Freeze

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin is never shy to make noise on social media. This offseason has been no exception. After Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze received criticism for playing too much golf this summer, Kiffin poured gasoline on the fire by quote tweeting a picture of Freeze winning a golf tournament and writing, […]

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Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin is never shy to make noise on social media. This offseason has been no exception. After Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze received criticism for playing too much golf this summer, Kiffin poured gasoline on the fire by quote tweeting a picture of Freeze winning a golf tournament and writing, “Great job Coach!! Game is on [fire].”

Kiffin followed up on his post on Sunday by tagging Freeze in a video of a fishing boat’s stern, with numerous fishing lines in the water. Many fans interpreted the post as Kiffin saying Freeze can’t land the “big fish” or recruits. On Monday at the 2025 SEC Kickoff, Lane Kiffin addressed his recent posts about Freeze.

“I like Coach Freeze,” Kiffin said. “I think they think thought that was something to do with, like, I was fishing and it was golfing. That really wasn’t that. I have a thing with him, going back a few years ago, and he like posted a picture in response to me, of some two-pound bass or something like that.

“So I’ve kind of always posted bigger fish pictures back toward him. So it had nothing to do with his golf game, which it sounds like he’s doing amazing at that. So, that’s great for him… And I was fishing yesterday as a dead period, by the way, just making sure that we’re clear on that. People wanna say that fishing is like golfing. It’s dead period.”

In June, AL.com reported that Freeze had played over 20 times during the calendar year. Moreover, Freeze had hit the links 10 times in June alone.

Fans were frustrated when they learned about Freeze’s golf habits, especially since Auburn saw three highly-touted recruits decommit in June. For reference, South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer had the second-most recorded scores in June with three.

Meanwhile, some coaches such as Georgia‘s Kirby Smart didn’t appear to be playing any golf. During an appearance on See Ball Get Ball — David Pollack’s podcast — Freeze addressed his golf habits.

“Everybody seems to like to talk about my golf game,” Freeze said. “… I do love golf. I enjoy playing, but what people don’t realize is, I assure you that I never missed a camp day or a recruiting day but if camp got over at 3 o’clock one day, and Jill (Freeze’s wife) and I go out at 4:30, we absolutely might do that.

“I’m not apologizing for that part of it. But my focus is 100% on getting Auburn in that win column this fall. And I do think the biggest thing that’s causing most of it is the recruiting rankings right now, because we’ve been top 10 my two years here in recruiting, and currently we’re not.”



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