The pool of eligible players for NCAA Division I hockey swelled last fall with the addition of CHL players. Despite the increase, the number of teams at the Division I level has dropped to 62, with Mercyhurst University discontinuing their program for 2026-27. Restoring The Rink examines programs that have gone defunct and their viability in today’s market.

History:

Wayne State's hockey program broke ground in 1999. The Warriors brought in veteran Western Michigan Head Coach Bill Wilkinson as their first and only bench boss.

The first few seasons of Warrior hockey were amazing! After a year as an Independent program, Wayne State joined the now-defunct College Hockey America (CHA). They made quite the splash, winning three consecutive CHA Championships from 2000-03. Wayne State even secured a 2003 NCAA Tournament bid where they unfortunately fell 4-2 in the Regional Semifinal to Colorado College.

After 2003, things went steadily downhill on ice for the Warriors. Wayne State never reached 15 wins or the CHA Championship game again. These performances exposed glaring issues in their operational setup. The Warriors never had a true home rink like other college hockey teams.

"Wayne State also never had a rink built on campus...and was forced to play all over the suburban Detroit area at five different 'home' rinks over the years," explained USCHO in 2008.

These buildings included Great Lakes Sports City Arena in Fraser, MI Compuware Sports Arena (now USA Hockey Arena) in Plymouth, MI, Taylor SportsPlex and Joe Louis Arena. Their final home rink at the former Michigan State Fairgrounds Coliseum was nearly 30 miles off campus.

With yearly operational costs hitting around $500,000, Wayne State looked for support and possibly membership from the CCHA. Reports conflict on whether the CCHA was unable or unwilling to help Wayne State. In September of 2007, Wayne State made the decision to cut the program. The Board of Governors said it was "necessary due to continuing reductions in state appropriations to higher education." 

Wayne State's departure marked the beginning of the end for CHA, who folded on the mens side just three years later in 2010. ACHA Club Hockey existed for a brief time, but does not currently appear on the Club Sports Website.

Hockey Impact: 

Wayne State is situated in the heart of Detroit, one of the NHL's Original Six markets. The Red Wings are in the midst of a long rebuild which has seen them miss the playoffs for the past 10 seasons. Detroit still enjoys a raucous fan base on a nightly basis, enjoying the history of their great franchise. 

PWHL Detroit is helping to grow the women's game and will play their inaugural campaign this fall. They will play at the home of the Red Wings at Little Caesar's Arena. 

Market Viability:

It's clear that Detroit is a hockey city and has been for 100 years. Wayne State appears to have the Title IX room to add a men's sport. However, biggest obstacle to a potential revival is the same question that plagued the Warriors in the 2000s: A lack of a home rink. 

Should the university is able to find the proper real estate and facilities, it is a matter of when and not if Division I hockey will return to Detroit. The Motor City is just too big of a market to pass up.