"@LetsPlay_Hockey: Piggybacking off of reports by @HouseOfSparky and @chnews, progress is being made toward Arizona State adding NCAA Division I hockey.
The ASU administration is in the due diligence phase. Logical landing areas initially could be the NCHC or WCHA (eventually Pac-12?).
Arizona State currently has three teams playing ACHA (club) hockey. The Division 1 team is the defending national champion.
ASU’s D1 team has a budget of $350,000 & recently received a $250,000 gift for a new locker room/training center at Oceanside Ice Arena.
ASU’s [ACHA] D1 team plays a 40-game schedule & has 7 former USHL players on its roster, including recent Northeastern transfer Ryan Belonger.
ASU sells out home gms w/ 800 fans. When facing archrival Arizona on the road at the Tucson Convention Ctr, gms sell out w/ 7,000 fans.
Arizona State hockey opened camp yesterday with 150 players trying out. The [ACHA] D1 team’s first game is on Sept. 19 vs. Niagara.