Northern Arizona University once fielded a Division I men’s ice hockey team from 1980 until 1986, a run that ended not because of lack of talent but because the ice at the Walkup Skydome was fundamentally flawed and the program could no longer be sustained financially.
The shutdown left a gap in the state’s college hockey landscape, a gap that has since been filled by the Arizona Coyotes of the NHL, Arizona State University’s rising program, and a growing youth base that keeps the sport alive across Arizona.
Recent shifts in NCAA revenue sharing and the influx of former CHL players into the Division I pool have revived discussions about restarting NAU’s top‑flight hockey, a move that could tap into a market that still reveres the program’s 1983‑84 season, when the team posted a 21‑6 record.
Dr. Gerald Caple, who helped found the original club team in 1971 and later guided its growth, was inducted into the ACHA Hall of Fame in 2018, underscoring his lasting impact on the sport in the region.
The prospect of a comeback is not just nostalgic; it aligns with NAU’s broader athletic strategy, as the university already sponsors eleven NCAA sports and could leverage existing facilities and fan engagement to make a hockey revival financially viable.
A historic program with a future?
If NAU were to resurrect its Division I program, it would likely face rivals such as Arizona State University, whose own team skates at Mullet Arena in Tempe, creating a natural in‑state rivalry that could boost attendance and broadcast interest.
Smaller institutions across the country have benefited from the current revenue‑sharing model in NCAA hockey, and NAU could follow that trajectory, using the sport to attract students, donors, and regional sponsors.
The conversation is still in its early stages, but the combination of historical precedent, a passionate fan base, and a supportive athletic infrastructure makes the idea of a NAU hockey revival more than a fleeting thought — it is a realistic possibility that could reshape the competitive map of western college hockey.