A new hockey rink and basketball court may be in Stonehill’s future.
The new stadium is still in the planning stages, and there is no exact timeline for construction or completion, but the idea is creating a buzz on campus.
Athletic Director Dean O’Keefe said the stadium, once built, would be a plus for the college.
The stadium, which will be one of the largest buildings on campus, is part of a larger push by Stonehill and the athletics department to further develop the hockey programs, basketball, and student engagement on campus.
“For a lot of reasons, it would be a great addition to the players, it is a lot more than that, there is a new sports management major, and it would be a good opportunity for those students to be able to get some experience in the promotions and the sports atmosphere. As well as it been a fun and exciting new place to hangout for students,” he said.
He said more students may likely now go to games, particularly hockey games. “Students may say things like, ‘Let's go watch the basketball game or hockey.’ It’s hard to have in Merket. Because they may not want to go to Bridgewater for the game.”
Men’s Basketball Coach Chris Kraus said it is a good idea. “I think as a Division 1 program, to have a facility where the players and student body and alumni can get excited about, meets our goals for developing a Division 1 basketball program. As well as the entire game environment it’s part of one of the plans for Stonehill for a successful Division 1 basketball program,” he said.
For players, the possibility of being able to play on home turf is especially exciting.
“Being able to play in front of my peers would make playing for Stonehill even more meaningful,” said Cam Mannion, a hockey player.
Having the hockey rink on campus will allow for the players from both women’s and men’s hockey to have a single place to practice and not compete with other teams in the region for ice time.
Women’s Basketball Coach Trisha Brown also agreed with the pluses of a new stadium. “I think it will help us dramatically, we will have the ability to have different spaces for the student athlete experience and wellness, dedicated strength and conditioning, and a wellness area that they can utilize, just in terms of time management being able to have some things more easily accessible,” she said.
“It will make it much more convenient, and we will be able to do more since it’s on campus,” said Ryan Davies, 2026.
Beyond just Hockey, Stonehill is looking to make the new stadium a multipurpose arena, creating a space for a much-needed remodel for the Stonehill basketball teams.
“We needed to do something to further the experience for basketball,” said Dean O’Keefe.
The Athletic director said the time for the change is now and they are excited to see how the Arena brings more success and excitement to the school.
“This is the next big important thing for athletics,” said Dean O’Keefe.
Cam Mannion and Ryan Davies add that this is the future foundation for the program.
“We are competing against some of the top big schools for hockey and having a rink could put us over the edge,” they said.
Overall, many people can agree that the potential for the new stadium would be something that would complete Stonehill after the change to division one.
“I think it’s bigger than our sport and can be something for the student body and overall school where you can also have other campus events,” said Coach Chris Kraus.
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