Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Northeast Regional will be held in Worcester March 24-25, 2012
(July 8, 2010 - Worcester, MA) The NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee announced that Worcester has been selected to host the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championships Northeast Regional for 2012. The bid to host the event was submitted this spring by the College of the Holy Cross, SMG-managed DCU Center and Destination Worcester. The event will take place March 24-25, 2012.
NCAA has recognized the DCU Center’s success with the awarding of previous NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championships. As host of the Regionals in 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010 the DCU Center has developed the experience and understanding of tournament requirements. Nine of the 11 teams to win the regional in Worcester have gone on to play in the national championship game. Five of those teams won the national championship.
2012 will mark the third time that Holy Cross has hosted the Northeast Regionals at the DCU Center, having previously hosted in 2008 and 2010. Holy Cross was also Host Institution for the 2005 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championships First/Second Rounds at the DCU Center. "We are thrilled to have the NCAA men's hockey championship return to Worcester in 2012,” said Holy Cross athletic director Richard M. Regan, Jr. “This is an exciting event for our local community and a tremendous experience for the participating teams and fans. We enjoy working with the DCU Center and hope to continue this tradition for years to come."
Sandy Dunn, General Manager of the DCU Center, stated “The DCU Center is proud to have hosted the Men’s Ice Hockey Regional Championships 11 times in the last 17 years. Our wealth of experience and long-standing relationship with the NCAA gives us a great foundation to build upon to continue to provide a first class experience for the fans, athletes, coaches, tournament staff and media”. Dunn added, “We look forward to working with Holy Cross once again as the Host Institution for another outstanding Regional Championship in 2012.”
Destination Worcester’s support and expertise of City amenities and services was key in the bid to host the tournament. “The NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Northeast Regional is a wonderful event for the City of Worcester, said Patrick Lynch, Executive Director for Destination Worcester. “Past Regionals have had significant financial impact on the City, generating over $1 million of direct spending from the 2010 tournament alone. Events such as this bring vibrancy to the City and we are happy that NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey is returning in 2012.”
The DCU Center features a state of the art ice surface that was completely replaced in the summer of 2009, including new chillers, dasher boards and seamless glass. The attached Convention Center provides plenty of space for schools and alumni to hold functions during the two-day event. The DCU Center, renown for being a top-grossing arena of its size, has hosted other major televised sporting events including Professional Boxing, U.S.A. Gymnastics, the Professional Bull Riders, University of Massachusetts Basketball and the NCAA Basketball Championships First and Second Rounds.
