TSU Pronounces Its Historic Hockey Program Will not Begin Till 2026

[ad_1] by Daniel Johnson July 12, 2025

Because of the college's monetary struggles, the hockey program will now start through the 2026-2027 tutorial yr.

Tennessee State College’s historic hockey program–the primary ice hockey program at any HBCU–was dealt a minor setback on July 10 when the college formally introduced that amid its monetary struggles brought on by Tennessee’s continual underfunding of the college, this system would start through the 2026-2027 tutorial yr.

In accordance with The Nashville Banner, the State of Tennessee has underfunded Tennessee State College by $544 million over the previous 5 a long time, however regardless of these institutional shortfalls, workers members dedicated themselves to fundraising whereas making an attempt to recruit gamers, constructing out a schedule for the crew and the numerous different logistical considerations that include constructing a program from scratch.

Kevin Westgarth, the Nationwide Hockey League’s VP of Hockey Improvement and Strategic Collaboration, touted the resilience of Tennessee State College in a press launch and appeared assured that this system would rebound from this setback.

“Deferring the inaugural season of TSU Tigers hockey to 2026-27 is the correct step to construct a basis worthy of the college,” Westgarth mentioned. “We think about President Tucker’s imaginative and prescient and sit up for including new names to the TSU Athletics historical past alongside legends like Olympic gold medalist Wilma Rudolph and NBA champion Dick Barnett. Hopefully, we’ll see an ex-Tiger increase the Stanley Cup sooner or later, not too far sooner or later.”

After Tennessee State College introduced its intention to start out a Division I hockey program on the establishment in June 2023, the NHL and Tennessee’s NHL franchise, the Nashville Predators, rapidly backed the trouble, using the NHL’s Trade Development Fund to assist fund and supply assets to the fledgling program.

Nonetheless, the college’s persevering with monetary points have induced a domino impact, and it was decided that the hockey program wanted to lift $5 million in budgetary funding unbiased of the college to cowl its first two seasons.

Within the press launch, Tennessee State College’s interim president, Dwayne Tucker, mentioned that each the Nashville Predators and the NHL agreed that it was greatest for the college to delay the launch of this system so as to increase the mandatory funds for competitors.

“Working carefully with the NHL and the Predators, we agree that an extra yr will present this system with the time and assets it must launch at full power and with long-term monetary success in thoughts,” Tucker mentioned.

Since his hiring in April 2024, the hockey program’s head coach, Duanté Abercrombie has led the fundraising effort, which is able to now shift to a mannequin targeted on group engagement, initiatives to create extra donations, in addition to efforts geared on the improvement of the hockey program itself so as to maintain the hearth that was lit on the outset of this system’s inception burning.

Invoice Wickett, the Predators chief advertising officer, indicated in his personal assertion within the press launch that the crew desires to assist “make the Division I hockey dream a actuality at Tennessee State.”

He continued, “We applaud college management, led by Interim President Tucker, for its want to make sure that when the Tigers step on the ice for the primary time, they're doing it for a very long time, and we pledge to stroll hand-in-hand with that management in making it occur.”