Tennessee State University is set to establish its inaugural men’s ice hockey team, with support from the NHL, Nashville Predators, College Hockey Inc., and TSU. The team is scheduled to commence Division I play during the 2025-26 season, signifying a significant achievement for both the university and the sport of hockey.
The initiative to introduce men’s ice hockey at TSU stemmed from a connection between TSU president Glenda Glover and former Predators president Sean Henry. Henry generously raised over $1 million to facilitate the addition of men’s hockey at TSU, with full campus support from Glover’s administration.
The prospect of establishing hockey at an HBCU school was already under consideration by the NHL when TSU athletic director Dr. Mikki Allen expressed interest in adding varsity hockey. Kevin Westgarth, the vice president of hockey development and strategic collaboration for the NHL, identified TSU as a success story in the league’s efforts to expand college hockey through partnerships.
Although the initial plan was to commence with club hockey in 2024-25 and transition to Division I by 2026-27, the new coach, Duante’ Abercrombie, aims to forego club hockey and proceed directly to Division I in 2025-26. Abercrombie emphasized that TSU is a Division I school in athletics, making the direct transition to Division I hockey a strategic choice.
College Hockey Inc. played a pivotal role in assessing the feasibility of establishing a hockey team at TSU. The organization, dedicated to promoting and growing NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hockey, conducted feasibility studies to determine the costs required for the program. Mike Snee, executive director of College Hockey Inc., described the partnership between the Predators and TSU as a perfect alignment of all the necessary elements for success.
The Predators have been instrumental in offering support to TSU, providing access to their hockey facilities such as the Ford Ice Center rinks. Their chief marketing officer, Bill Wickett, emphasized that while TSU led the decision-making process, the Predators were dedicated to supporting the university in becoming the first HBCU to play Division I hockey.
Establishing a hockey program from the ground up and aiming to launch it directly into Division I is unquestionably a monumental undertaking. However, with the direct backing of the NHL and the Predators, the conditions are favorable for TSU’s men’s ice hockey program to thrive. Kevin Westgarth assured that every effort would be made to ensure the success of the program, highlighting the collective dedication to seeing TSU men’s ice hockey flourish.