Bill Radovich, who served as St. Cloud State’s vice president of administrative affairs from 1973 to 1993, died this week at the age of 92. Colleagues and former athletes remember him as a steadying force behind the university’s athletic ambitions.
Pioneering a Division I Era
His most enduring contribution came in the late 1980s, when he spearheaded the effort to elevate the men’s hockey program to Division I competition. To make the case, Radovich facilitated a meeting between iconic coach Herb Brooks and university leaders, persuading them to allocate resources for a new arena. The result was the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center, completed in 1990 and later renamed in Brooks’s honor in 2014.
Recognition and Remembrance
Radovich’s impact was formally recognized when he was inducted into the St. Cloud State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017. In addition to the arena, he established the William and Patricia Radovich Family Hockey Scholarship, awarded each year to a standout men’s hockey player. Contributions to the scholarship can be made online, allowing the community to perpetuate his commitment to student‑athlete development.
A Partnership That Built a Legacy
Working closely with then‑university President Brendan McDonald, Radovich helped secure the funding that made the hockey center possible. Their collaboration exemplified a broader vision of expanding both athletic and academic horizons for the campus. The facility’s dedication in 1990 marked a watershed moment, and its renaming in 2014 cemented Brooks’s legacy while preserving Radovich’s imprint on the institution.
Today, the scholarship bears his name and continues to attract talented players who embody the blend of athletic prowess and scholarly dedication that Radovich prized. As the university reflects on his career, the values he instilled remain woven into the fabric of St. Cloud State hockey, reminding current and future generations of the power of strategic leadership and community support.