Tennessee State men's hockey will not play in 2025-26. Here's why.
The inaugural season for Tennessee State men's hockey is over before it even began.
The first ever ice hockey team at a historically Black, public university was expected to begin play in 2025-26, but now that will not happen, according to a source with knowledge of the situation who wished to remain anonymous because the news has not yet been made official.
The team is hoping to play its inaugural season in 2026-27.
Concerns about the men's hockey program at Tennessee State come to light two years after the team was announced at Bridgestone Arena ahead of the 2023 NHL Draft. Uncertainty about a home ice location or practice facilities, a lack of fundraising, and unrest about the school's financial situation are all contributing factors for the delay of the program.
The university has undergone massive leadership and financial upheavals in the past 18 months while facing budget deficits and declining enrollment. Interim president Dwayne Tucker, who took office in December 2024, has repeatedly said the school would run out of money this spring if nothing changed. He presented an ambitious five-year financial plan to key state leaders in February and helped strike a deal with them to infuse $96 million into the university's budget in June.
The money, which was part of a fund previously reserved for building and infrastructure projects, will help stabilize the university's budget and address its immediate operational needs. However, it's not clear if any of that money would go toward the university's athletic programs.
A source with knowledge of the situation, who wished to remain anonymous because the news has not been made official, said Tennessee State's hockey team had not met its fundraising goals for 2025-26.
In addition, no schedule or roster has been posted to Tennessee State's men's hockey website.
The Tennessean reached out to the athletic department regarding game dates and opponents for 2025-26 but the university was unable to provide a schedule.
The Tennessean's Rachel Wegner contributed to this story.
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.