Six Pack

St. Thomas gives Minnesota its sixth Division I hockey school. Who’s next?

By: Aaron Paitich

And then there were six.

The University of St. Thomas officially kicked off its Division I era this fall, giving the State of Hockey its sixth upper-echelon men’s and women’s hockey programs.

While both teams know the transition to Division I won’t be easy, the Tommies want to prove they aren’t just welcome mats. St. Paul native Christiano Versich scored the first goal for the men, while Luci Bianchi of Bloomington Jefferson notched the first game-winning goal for the ladies.

The addition of St. Thomas comes at a time when Minnesota’s other five Division I hockey schools are thriving.

“I think it adds a lot of dimension to college hockey in Minnesota,” said Mike Snee, executive director of College Hockey Inc. and Duluth native. “We now have six Division I programs, men’s and women’s. Every school that has a men’s program has a women’s program.”

The new kids on the block are positioned nicely along the mighty Mississippi, just a stretch pass downstream from their neighbors and newest rivals in Dinkytown.

“There can be this natural Minneapolis-St. Paul rivalry built in,” Snee said. “Both schools are right on the river. Once St. Thomas’ programs become mature, I’m excited to see the rivalry that develops in the Twin Cities but also the rivalries amongst all the schools in Minnesota.”

Is this the golden age of Minnesota college hockey?

“For St. Thomas to be joining at a time when Minnesota’s programs are so healthy, both women’s and men’s, is fantastic,” Snee said. “We’re coming off a year when all of the men’s teams made the NCAA tournament and three of them made it to the Frozen Four, it’s just such an exciting time for St. Thomas to be joining that party at the Division I level.”

Here are some notable moments:

Tommies Men Join New CCHA

The country’s newest program joins a brand-new conference, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. Here are the teams in the new CCHA, listed in order from the 2021-22 CCHA Preseason Coaches Poll.

WCHA Welcomes Women

The powerhouse Western Collegiate Hockey Association welcomes St. Thomas. Here are the teams in the WCHA, listed in order from the 2021-22 WCHA Preseason Coaches Poll.

Room to Grow

The State of Hockey still trails other traditional hockey markets when it comes to fielding Division I hockey programs.

“When you compare the other similar, more traditional hockey states to Minnesota, I’d say even at six Division I programs, Minnesota is still behind,” Snee said. “Minnesota’s impact on the game is as high as it has ever been. Even with the game growing in places like Florida, Texas, Missouri and California, that makes it even more impressive that Minnesota continues to grow in its influence.”

Augustana Adds Intrigue

On Oct. 5, Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, formally announced its new Division I men’s hockey program, which will begin competition in the fall of 2023.

“Every time a school adds men’s or women’s hockey, that’s approximately 25 more student-athletes that will get an opportunity to play NCAA Division I hockey. So that’s great for all hockey players in the world,” Snee said. “Knowing that Minnesota makes up a greater percentage of players than any other state or province, that means it’s especially good news for Minnesota players.”

On the Horizon

While there is a ton of excitement surrounding St. Thomas this year, it is just one of many developments changing the shape and scope of Division I hockey across the country. Recent additions such as Penn State, Arizona State, Long Island and St. Thomas have shown other schools there is a hunger for more to join the party.

Can College Hockey Go Coast to Coast?

Snee is absolutely thrilled with the addition of St. Thomas, but his vision and responsibilities are grander. He wants Division I hockey to follow the NHL’s footsteps into newer territories.

“When you look at hockey in our country, from a fan-following standpoint and a participation standpoint, the NHL has done a wonderful job growing the game in markets that were considered non-hockey markets. NHL hockey is now truly border to border, coast to coast.”

Snee credits USA Hockey partnering with the NHL and ensuring rinks would be built, new programs would be supported, and kids would fall in love with the game.

College hockey is knocking on the door.

“College athletics is such an impactful part of the athletics culture of our country. For us to have hockey reach its full potential throughout our country, we need to have college hockey be like the NHL and be border to border and coast to coast. That’s an aggressive goal and a long-term goal, but wherever college hockey goes, it too will inspire kids and people to become hockey fans and hockey players. That’s our goal.”