Visited NCAA Arenas
Lawson Arena - Kalamazoo, MI
The day OHLAG and I visited Lawson Arena I honestly didn’t think much of it. We had already stopped in at other NCAA rinks on the trip in Notre Dame and Miami (Ohio), and this was the least impressive of the three and I had my eyes more set on the ECHL Wings game that afternoon. I took a couple pictures because we were there and didn’t give it much more thought, as my caring level for NCAA hockey at the time was pretty low. The rink opened in 1974 and it feels very 70s inside and out. Its main tenant since it opened is the Western Michigan Broncos, who have had many NHL alumni play for them over the decades, and have seen recent success winning the 2025 Frozen Four as National Champions. The Broncos won’t be playing out of Lawson Arena much longer, however, as a new Events Center is under construction in Kalamazoo that is set to host not only the ECHL’s Wings but the NCAA’s Broncos hockey AND basketball teams. The new rink is set to open by the fall of 2027, so if you want to see the Broncos play at Lawson Arena head there ASAP.
David S. Ingalls Rink - New Haven, CT
More commonly referred to as the Yale Whale, David S. Ingalls Rink was designed by famous Finnish architect Eero Saarinen who also designed such famous structures as the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the TWA Terminal at JFK and the designer of the tulip chair to name a few. OHLAG and I stopped in the morning after an AHL game in nearby Bridgeport and were thankful that despite the rink being empty the doors were open. Even if the doors weren’t open, you can see inside fairly easy. The rink opened in 1958 and is home of Yale’s hockey teams and is owned by the university. It only seats about 3,500 people with its odd design but it would be a very cool place to watch a hockey game at someday.
Compton Family Ice Arena - Notre Dame, IN
Compton Family Ice Arena from the outside looks like it’s straight out of the 1950s, but it’s a fairly new building. It opened in 2011 on the grounds of the University of Notre Dame and is home to the Fighting Irish hockey team. Inside the rink shines despite now being well into its second decade of life. The main bowl is very similar to the new CHL clone rinks, but the corners of one end are set up terrace style with no seating for the student sections. Also, there are windows that let natural light flow in and there are balconies hanging from the walls which I would imagine offer a spectacular view of the action. When OHLAG and I stopped in between our ECHL games in Indianapolis and Kalamazoo I was impressed, even if I didn’t have much desire at the time to watch NCAA hockey. If I ever start going to NCAA games on the regular, I feel a trip to Notre Dame will be high on my list.
Steve Cady Arena at Goggin Ice Center - Oxford, OH
The Goggin Ice Center on the Miami University campus holds two rinks within its walls. The main Steve Cady Arena is where the University’s Redhawks play, and it feels like the hockey arena version of Petco Park in San Deigo with red brick and balconies hanging over the ice. It also has a very high half barrel roof above a smaller bowl of red seats. It’s a very cool aesthetic that I was impressed to see in person. Like Notre Dame and Western Michigan above, Goggin was a rink OHLAG and I stopped in to see on our midwest ECHL trip in January of 2024, and I didn’t pay it much attention as my interest level in NCAA was low at the time. But as I expand my horizons and just want to see hockey in cool different arenas, I could maybe see myself watching a game at Goggin one day… also the name is just fun to say.
