Tennessee State pushes back inaugural season of its men’s hockey program to 2026-27

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee State is delaying the inaugural season of its men’s hockey program by a year as the school addresses financial issues associated with launching the program.

The Tigers will now start playing in the 2026-27 season rather than in 2025-26.

Tennessee State announced in June 2023 that it was planning to become the first historically Black college and university to sponsor Division I men’s hockey. Duanté Abercrombie was hired as the program’s first head coach in April 2024.

School officials said Thursday the decision to delay the start of competition was made in collaboration with the NHL, Nashville Predators and College Hockey Inc., and that it reflected their “shared commitment to building a sustainable and competitive program from day one.”

“Working closely with the NHL and the Predators, we agree that an additional year will provide the program with the time and resources it needs to launch at full strength and with long-term financial success in mind,” Tennessee State Interim President Dwayne Tucker said in a statement. “The extra preparation period will focus on recruiting, facility planning, staff development, and fundraising efforts. It also aligns with a broader vision to grow the sport of hockey in diverse communities.”

The release announcing the move noted that the school had received a $250,000 grant from the NHL/National Hockey League Players Association and continued support from the Predators.

“Deferring the inaugural season of TSU Tigers hockey to 2026-27 is the right step to build a foundation worthy of the university,” said Kevin Westgarth, the NHL’s vice president of hockey development and strategic collaboration. “TSU has faced challenges before and always met them and come back stronger, and we expect hockey to be the latest chapter of that story.”

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