OSU women’s hockey excited about approved plans for new ice rink

On Feb 22, 2023

Despite growing Ohio State women’s hockey into a consistent national contender, coach Nadine Muzerall said there was one thing many other college programs held over the Buckeyes on the recruiting trail − their home ice rink.

While the Ohio State ice rink is something Muzerall takes pride in, leading a team to success in what she calls “the ugliest rink in the country,” it was always something she remained realistic about.

“Does it hurt recruiting? Absolutely,” Muzerall said. “We’ve lost some good players because of it. And I know we’re the Ohio State, and I don’t want to lose players due to a facility because we’re the best athletic department in the country and we should have the best facilities.”

Last Thursday, the Ohio State University Board of Trustees approved a plan to start designing Ohio State women’s hockey’s new home.

According to the meeting’s agenda, construction for the new ice rink would begin in June 2024 with the facility opening in April 2026.

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The project would include team locker rooms, an athletic lounge, team dining and nutrition, support services, offices for the coaching staff and team training and expansion of spectator seating capacity and broadcasting capabilities.

The budget for the ice rink is to be determined, as the Board of Trustees approved $2.7 million to start the process of designing the new ice rink, which will determine the full scope, programming and project cost.

The rink would be located on Ohio State’s athletic campus near the Covelli Center, Ohio State Lacrosse Stadium and the Ty Tucker Tennis Center off Fred Taylor Drive.

To graduate senior forward Emma Maltais, a new rink is something Ohio State deserves and something that’s been “a long time coming” for the program.

“I think that speaks a lot about the girls and the culture in the program over the last six, seven, eight years,” Maltais said. “I think it speaks a lot of what Muzzy has done with the program. She’s dedicated a ton of time. So have all her players, you know, taking a chance on her program that wasn’t necessarily at the top of the polls a couple years ago.”

‘Why wouldn’t you chose the Ohio State?’

Maltais knows how important a new rink will be for Ohio State women’s hockey. But she also knows the rink wasn’t the reason why she chose Ohio State in the first place.

“I don’t think anyone came here for the facility,” Maltais said. “And I think that’s what separates us a lot of the time. We really got recruits that were wanting to be at Ohio State for the other resources, the dedication and the passion.”

If anything, Muzerall said, the rink represents how far Ohio State women’s hockey has come.

After Muzerall took over the program in 2016 and led the Buckeyes to a fifth-place finish in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, Ohio State has finished third or better in the conference in the past five seasons, making the Frozen Four two times before winning the 2022 national championship.

Now, in 2023, Ohio State secured its first WCHA regular-season title and will take on Bemidji State in the conference tournament quarterfinals starting Friday.

To Muzerall, the rink is about legacy, an important aspect of her program’s “culture blueprint.” And even with new facilities, the mentality of leaving an all-encompassing legacy is not changing.

“How we can make you an elite hockey player is because of all the things behind the scenes to make you elite,” Muzerall said. “Now if you want to choose a rink as your reason over coaching and development and culture, then you’re not the right kid for us anyway.”