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Michigan regents call for addition of varsity women’s hockey team

Originally posted on Daily Faceoff | By Tyler Kuehl | Last updated 3/28/24

The wheels are in motion to grow women’s hockey in the state of Michigan.

During Thursday’s meeting of the University of Michigan Board of Regents, regent Denise Ilitch, one of Mike and Marian Ilitch’s daughters, formally called upon the school to add a Division-I women’s ice hockey program.

While speaking at the meeting, Ilitch agreed the time is now to add a team.

“For me that would be leaders and best,” Ilitch said. “Part of our mission statement at the University of Michigan says to serve the people of Michigan, and right now, the people of Michigan are not being served. There is a demand for varsity women’s hockey at the University of Michigan by the people of Michigan.”

While making her pitch, Ilitch mentioned a couple of players who came from the Mitten but had to go elsewhere to play at the next level. University of Wisconsin sophomore Kirsten Simms, a Patty Kazamier Award finalist, grew up down the road from the U-of-M in Plymouth. Her teammate, Cassie Hall, is a native of South Lyon.

Ilitch emphasized that players like them “are forced out of the state to compete at top-level programs.”

Compared to other states, Michigan has been far behind in terms of higher levels of women’s hockey. Massachusetts, for example, has seven women’s D-I teams to go along with 11 men’s programs. Each of the six men’s D-I teams in Minnesota, including Big Ten rivals, the University of Minnesota, has women’s programs that accompany them.

University president Santa Ono, a big hockey fan in his own right, confirmed during the meeting that he has asked for a feasibility study and that they expect a report in the near future.

According to sources, College Hockey Inc. (CHI), an organization designed to promote and grow NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hockey, is being introduced to help lead the feasibility study. However, it has not been confirmed whether CHI or the school itself will handle the study.

Multiple regents, including Jordan Acker, praised the notion. Acker has been a huge supporter of the current women’s club program in Ann Arbor and publicly celebrated both the team and the idea of bringing a top-tier women’s collegiate hockey team to the school.

I've come around on this and think we should have this as our next sport at D1. https://t.co/seD4EsnuZk
— Jordan Acker (@JordanAckerMI) January 17, 2024

Acker directed his comments toward Ono, as well as athletic director Warde Manuel, to help guide this process moving forward.

“I would strongly encourage both [President Ono] and athletic director Manuel to have this feasibility study,” Acker said. “I agree strongly with Regent Ilitch about this. The time has come, and this is part of our service to the people of Michigan to have a women’s hockey team and not force our elite female hockey players to go elsewhere.”

Regent Michael J. Behm brought up the recent NCAA Women’s D-I National Championship Game, which saw rival Ohio State beat Wisconsin to win the program’s second title. He has a personal connection of seeing someone give up the sport, because they wanted to stay close to home.

“When I hear this,” Behm said. “I think of my niece, who was a very talented player, who ended up not playing hockey. She ended up doing more soccer, because, in Michigan, your career ends early unless you go out of state. I think we do have the money, we do have the resources to get this done.”

There was a D-I team at Wayne State University, a D-II school in the Motor City, that played from 1999 to 2011. However, it was cut due to a lack of state funding. Currently, the only varsity women’s program in the state is at Adrian College, an NCAA D-III school.

There have been multiple attempts at putting a women’s team on the ice in Ann Arbor, but bids in 1997 and 2011 both fell through, with former Athletic Director Dave Brandon citing financial and facility restraints as the reason to move on with other plans.

During the meeting, Ilitch, Acker and Ono all recognized Jenna Trubiano, the head coach of the women’s club team at Michigan. Ilitch personally invited Trubiano to the meeting, and lauded her contributions to the school, even by working in a club sport.

“I want to thank Jenna for her generous commitment to her players to women’s hockey, and to Michigan,” Ilitch said. “Thank the team who works hard, sacrifices of financial burden, and makes the block-M proud, thank you.”

“Thank you to coach Trubiano,” Acker said. ” I appreciate you opening up my eyes on this as well. This is something to view in a reasonable timeframe, but it must be moving forward.”

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

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