After nearly a year of construction and years of planning, the University of St. Thomas is set to open the highly anticipated Lee & Penny Anderson Arena this fall. The state-of-the-art facility will welcome fans for the first time on Friday, Oct. 24, when the Tommie men's and women's hockey teams face off against the Providence Friars in a historic opening night doubleheader. Game times will be announced later this summer.
"This is a monumental day for the University of St. Thomas and Tommie Athletics, and we are excited to welcome one of college hockey's well-established programs in Providence College to open the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena," said Director of Athletics Dr. Phil Esten. "This opening series is a culmination of four years of hard work by many and a seminal moment as we continue our Division I journey. So many in our community have dedicated time and energy to get to this point, one which will be celebrated as we usher in a new era of Tommie Athletics. Once again, I want to thank the Andersons, other arena donors, and all parties involved who have contributed to what I'm sure will be a celebration of Tommie past, present, and future!"
St. Thomas hockey programs will be the first to compete in Lee & Penny Anderson Arena and will square off against Providence for the first time in either programs' history. The home of St. Thomas basketball and hockey, construction on Lee & Penny Anderson Arena began in January 2024 and will be concluded prior to the facility's opening on Oct. 24.
The Tommie hockey programs are both coming off impressive seasons, making plenty of headlines throughout the 2024-25 campaign. The St. Thomas men's hockey team concluded the 2024-25 season as one of the hottest in college history, posting a 15-3-1 record in the second half of the season and advancing to the Mason Cup Championship for the first time in program history. The women made statements under first year head coach Bethany Brausen, sweeping #4 Minnesota-Duluth in late January and taking national runner up Ohio State to overtime twice during the regular season.
Providence men's and women's hockey teams were both equally successful in 2024-25, as both teams won 20+ games last season and carded winning records in Hockey East play. The Friars men's program earned an at large bid to the NCAA Tournament, losing to national semifinalist Denver in the opening round 5-1, after posting an overall record of 21-11-3 with a 11-8-5 mark in conference play. The women closed the season with a 20-12-3 record, which included a 16-9-2 mark in Hockey East play and a trip to the Hockey East quarterfinals.
Fans can purchase season tickets for the inaugural season at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena at tommiesports.com/tickets, with several premium seating options still available. Ticket packages include seats to the grand opening of Lee & Penny Anderson Arena, along with other high-profile games throughout the 2025-26 men's and women's hockey season.
