The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association announced that beginning in 2027 the state hockey championships will be staged at the newly built LEGACY20 Arena at DeForest Yards, a modern facility designed to accommodate the growing demand for elite high‑school competition.
A New Home for Wisconsin’s State Hockey Tournament
The move represents the third major venue shift for the tournament since its inception in 1971, a timeline that has taken the championship from the historic Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Madison to temporary sites in Green Bay and Wisconsin Rapids during the pandemic, before settling for a three‑year run at the LEGACY20 Arena in Middleton.
WIAA executive director Stephanie Hauser said the new location will give teams a state‑of‑the‑art environment that matches the caliber of play on the ice, adding that the association is excited to partner with a venue that offers both indoor and covered outdoor surfaces.
Andrew Joudrey, president and CEO of LEGACY20 Arena, emphasized that the facility is built to create memorable moments for players, coaches and fans, highlighting its 3,000‑spectator capacity, two regulation‑size ice sheets and a suite of amenities ranging from a cutting‑edge sound and lighting system to multiple concession outlets.
The arena’s design includes a main indoor rink that will host the championship games, while a covered outdoor sheet will be available for winter practice and community events, ensuring that the tournament can adapt to weather conditions while maintaining a vibrant atmosphere.
The first championship games at the new site are slated for March 4‑6, 2027, when both boys and girls teams will step onto the fresh ice for the inaugural tournament at LEGACY20, marking a milestone in Wisconsin high‑school hockey history.