| A Chip Off the
Hockeytown Block
Adrian to build ice arena, add
Division III ice sports posted
9/27/06
ADRIAN, Mich. – Brandon Tingle has been playing
hockey since he was four years old, and when he graduated
from high school, the 18-year-old from Pittsburgh wanted
to play in college.
“I knew I wasn’t going to make the NHL,
but I wanted to play college hockey,” he said.
“Aside from academics, it was my main factor for
choosing a school.”
Then why in the world did he choose Adrian, a small
liberal arts college surrounded by cornfields and with
hardly an ice cube to its name, let alone an ice rink?
Because Brandon heard through the grapevine that Adrian
planned to build one.
Dr. Jeffrey R. Docking, Adrian College president, went
public with that news at a press conference this morning,
announcing that the school is breaking ground next week
on the Arrington Ice Arena, a $5.5 million indoor facility
located right on campus.
The arena will enable the College to offer four new
athletics programs by the 2007-08 season: intercollegiate
men’s hockey, intercollegiate women’s hockey,
intercollegiate synchronized skating, and men’s
club hockey.
“The Arrington Ice Arena is an exceptional opportunity
for athletes from the Midwest and beyond who are interested
in playing ice sports at the Division III level,”
Docking said.
The next closest school to currently offer NCAA Division
III hockey is Lake Forest College outside Chicago. The
only other school in Michigan is Finlandia University,
located 12 hours away in the Upper Peninsula.
“Michigan is a hockey state, and synchronized
skating is an up-and-coming sport. For high school seniors
interested in pursuing ice sports at the Division III
level, Adrian will be the place to come,” he said.
An “ice-breaking” ceremony is scheduled
Oct. 3 to mark the start of construction. Building will
continue through the winter, and the facilty will open
Aug. 1, 2007.
Adrian College is currently searching for head coaches
for the new ice sports.
“We believe that offering intercollegiate programs
in an on-campus facility will bring a depth to our pool
of candidates,” said Rick Creehan, executive vice
president. “We expect to attract assistant coaches
from some of the top Division I programs.”
The College is investigating league options for intercollegiate
hockey. It may start out as a Division III independent.
The facility will be open for use by the community.
It will offer lessons as well as league play for men,
women and children.
A pro shop, snack bar and other eating facilities, and
on-site parking will be available.
“This facility will help us ‘regionalize’
Adrian,” Docking said. “We will draw people
to this area whose only reason for coming is the ice
arena.”
The arena is named after Dr. Robyn Arrington Jr.and
his brother, fellow Adrian alumnus Col. Harold Arrington.
The brothers donated $3 million on behalf of their family.
The rest of the funds were raised through a variety
of sources, including in part through generous donations
from area businesses and individuals.
The arena will be located south of the stadium, near
the Merillat Sport & Fitness Center.
Adrian just dedicated a new performance stadium last
weekend. The stadium and ice arena are part of the Renaissance
Plan, an initiative to raise enrollment and improve
academics that was started a year ago when Dr. Docking
became president. The size of the freshman class went
up by about 100 students this fall.
One of the new students was Brandon Tingle, the hockey
player from Pittsburgh. Adrian’s plan is making
his college dreams come true.
“I think it will be fun to play for a team in
the inaugural season,” he said. “I think
we might be pretty good.”
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