New arena to open Oct. 24 with hockey doubleheader

by Robert Brent, Let’s Play Hockey

College hockey season is in full swing. While it’s an exciting time for every program, it should be particularly momentous for the University of St. Thomas as it opens a brand new arena.

The St. Thomas Tommies will play a doubleheader with both the men’s and women’s teams playing their first games against the Providence Friars in the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena on Friday, October 24.

The $183 million facility broke ground on the St. Thomas campus in 2024 after a $75 million gift from frequent UST backers Lee & Penny Anderson. The arena will be home to the Tommies’ hockey and basketball teams, as well as host commencement, community sports, and concerts.

The arena will house approximately 4,000 spectators for hockey, as well as practice facilities and a second sheet of ice with a seating capacity for 700 fans. 

Lee & Penny Anderson Arena is a significant upgrade over the Tommies’ current facility in Mendota Heights. With a capacity of just 1000, the old St. Thomas Ice Arena was the third-smallest facility in all of Division I ice hockey.

Moving from Mendota Heights to St. Paul will also be a vital chance for student athletes to practice and play on campus rather than travelling roughly 20 minutes to and from their old facility.

The building of a new arena comes at a time of significant expansion for St. Thomas athletics. The university made the unprecedented move of elevating most of its Division III athletic teams directly to Division I programs in 2020.

That move has paid off for the Tommies, as the team has put together a successful early run in their Division I program era. St. Thomas men’s hockey went to the CCHA finals last season before ultimately losing the Mason Cup to Mankato. Another strong season is expected out of the Tommies, with the team ranking 19th in the NCAA men’s hockey preseason poll. The women’s team continues to get better with strong recruiting classes in the past few seasons.

UST Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. Phil Esten says the new arena is another step in building the St. Thomas athletics program into a powerhouse.

“St. Thomas has demonstrated commitment to excellence in all that it does, and this arena shows that same commitment to our Division I transition,” Esten said. “Hockey and basketball compete in some of the country’s best conferences, and this new arena will provide practice, competition, and fan experiences expected of a Division I program.”

While the arena will be a crucial boost for the university, it should also be a massive boon for the local community and youth sports. The University of St. Thomas is preparing to partner with local businesses, schools, youth sports organizations, and the community to make the arena a hub for sports in St. Paul.

The President of St. Paul Capitals Hockey, Julie Bustos, is excited for the opportunities the facility will provide for growing the game of hockey in St. Paul. 

“Ever since the arena was announced, we’ve been getting really excited about what a D-I program and a state-of-the-art facility can do for the city of St. Paul and the local community,” Bustos said. “Right now, we’re challenged with a lack of sheets of ice to play on. This quite literally could be the lifeblood that allows those programs to continue.”

Join UST on October 24 and throughout the season to celebrate the opening of the new building and check out a new premier sheet of ice in the State of Hockey.

When the Tommies skate onto the ice for their debut in Lee & Penny Anderson Arena, it will be more than the start of another hockey season. The new facility stands as a milestone in the university’s rapid rise to Division I status, a gathering place for the St. Paul community, and a statement of intent for the future of St. Thomas athletics.