Ohio State has called an audible on its plan for the universityās hockey facilities.
Instead of building a new rink for both the menās and womenās hockey teams, the men will stay put while a facility will be built for the womenās hockey program, according to The Columbus Dispatchās Henry Palattella.
The original plan, which was announced in May 2017 as part of a plan for a revamped athletic district, called for a 4,000-seat arena. Since then, the project was downsized to 2,500 seats.
That capacity doesnāt fit the needs of the menās team, which averaged 6,500 fans per game during the 2018-19 season. Therefore, the Buckeyes will continue to play at Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center, which seats 17,500 and has been the menās hockey teamās home since 1998. The Buckeyes plan to close the upper deck of Value City Arena, which would give it a max capacity of 7,700.
ā(The new arena) wasnāt going to service us properly for menās hockey,ā said Shaun Richard, Ohio Stateās associate athletic director and administrator for hockey. āWeāre excited about the Schottenstein Center, and thatās where weāll continue to play.ā
The womenās hockey team has played at the Ohio State University Ice Rink, which seats 1,415, since the program was formed in 1999. The Buckeyes, who average about 400 fans per game, will get a larger arena while moving into the center of the athletic district.
āHaving the womenās team over in that part of campus is a disadvantage for them,ā Diana Sabau, Deputy Director of Athletics who oversees womenās hockey, said of the current location. āWe want to move them to the district. ā¦ We want to make sure that wherever we put it, we are doing whatās best for our student-athletes.ā
There is no official site for the new rink. So far, the athletic district has produced the Schumaker Student-Athlete Complex, the Covelli Center and Jennings Family Wrestling Practice Facility.
The womenās hockey is 10-4-4 this season, while the men are 9-4-1.