St. Cloud State receives $1.8M for Huskies Hockey

The St. Cloud State University hockey program recently received gifts totaling $1.8 million, an investment designed to provide a significantly better experience for fans, secure the men’s team as a perennial top 10 program and boost the performance of women’s hockey. 

Thanks to gifts totaling $1.3 million, the fan experience is expected to improve significantly with the start of the 2022-23 season. The old analog video scoreboards will be replaced with the latest digital technology, providing a bright, bold and interactive experience that will amp up the energy in the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. The gifts will also allow for significant improvement in the audio and acoustics in the Hockey Center, taking the already frenetic energy up a notch.       

“Our fans will notice these upgrades immediately and the experience will mirror what they have grown accustomed to in other venues,” said Heather Weems, Director of Athletics. “This improvement marks the third significant capital investment in the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center over the last decade, which, along with the major expansion and modernization in 2013 and the addition of the strength and conditioning center in 2019, positions our men’s and women’s programs for future success.”

The hockey program would like to acknowledge a generous leadership gift of $500,000 from Foundation 94.  Foundation 94 was established by Henry and Angelena Blattner.  

The gift from Foundation 94 will provide important ongoing operating support for hockey, including the funding of an all-important strength and conditioning coach — considered essential to performance optimization in the hyper-competitive environment of men’s and women’s hockey — and support of student-athlete mental health and leadership programming, areas Foundation 94 deems essential to a well-rounded and responsive hockey experience. 

“Henry and Angel believe in our program and its importance to our fans in Central Minnesota and beyond. Their gift ensures we remain a perennial top 10 program as we relentlessly pursue a national title,” said Brett Larson, Huskies men’s hockey head coach.

“Huskies hockey is a wonderful brand ambassador for St. Cloud State and extends our regional reach in powerful ways,” said Dr. Robbyn Wacker, President of St. Cloud State. “I’m so happy we’re able to give our fans and our student athletes this gift, and am so grateful to Foundation 94 and Henry and Angelena, and to all whose gifts have made this possible.”

“These improvements to The Herb were envisioned a decade ago, which made them an institutional priority in our Unleash the Future campaign for St. Cloud State,” said Matt Andrew, Vice President of University Advancement. “We’re very honored by the generosity of our boosters.” 

Unleash the Future: The Campaign for St. Cloud State University has now raised over $37 million for the university’s top priorities. The campaign is projected to close Dec. 31, 2022.  For more information, visit unleashthefuture.stcloudstate.edu.