Tennessee State to Become 1st HBCU with Hockey Program

Tennessee State will become the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to have a hockey program.

Ryan S. Clark of ESPN noted the school will announce as much during a Wednesday press conference.

Clark also shared more from the press release that revealed the NHL's Nashville Predators are part of the partnership since the announcement will happen at Bridgestone Arena:

Tennessee State revealed in 2021 that it would partner with the NHL, the Predators and College Hockey Inc. to conduct a feasibility study regarding the possibility of having men's and women's hockey at the school, per Wayne Sterling of CNN.

"The idea of establishing a collegiate hockey program at TSU is a tremendous opportunity as the nation's first HBCU to take on this endeavor," Tennessee State President Glenda Glover said at the time.

"This allows us to expand the sport, increase diversity and introduce a new fanbase."

Kendrick Marshall of HBCU Sports noted Tuesday that Tennessee State athletics director Mikki Allen and Predators president and CEO Sean Henry announced last February that their partnership would create a fundraising campaign to help launch men's and women's hockey programs at the school.

The funding will be directed toward scholarships, an on-campus venue, equipment, travel and various other expenses.

Tennessee State currently has 13 sports programs listed on its athletics website: men's and women's basketball, football, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track and field, softball and women's volleyball.