{"id":18251,"date":"2026-09-25T12:03:15","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T17:03:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/?p=18251"},"modified":"2026-09-25T13:00:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T18:00:43","slug":"maryville-opens-its-division-i-breaks-ground","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/maryville-opens-its-division-i-breaks-ground\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryville Opens Its Division I Transition Season Friday, and Breaks Ground on a Bigger Home to Match"},"content":{"rendered":"

Maryville University men’s hockey opens its NCAA Division I transition season Friday, Sept. 25, the first game of a schedule built to prepare the program for full Division I status. A few hours earlier, at the same rink, the university will break ground on the building that transition is meant to fill. \u201cOur student-athletes, past and present, believed in what we were building long before there was a shovel in the ground,\u201d said John Hogan, Assistant Athletic Director for Hockey and Head Coach<\/strong>. \u201cFriday is a chance to celebrate what they helped start and take another major step forward for the future of Maryville Hockey and the University as a whole.\u201d<\/p>\n

This groundbreaking ceremony for the Maryville University Hockey Center’s cutting-edge upgrades marks a major milestone for the university’s rising NCAA Division I hockey program. The ceremony begins at 5 p.m. at 18383 Chesterfield Airport Road, Chesterfield, MO 63005. The Homecoming pep rally runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and the Saints face Midland University at 7:30 p.m. that night. More than 1,200 fans are expected to attend the Black Out game.<\/p>\n

Vantage Credit Union, the founding partner of the Division I move, will be on the shovel line with students, alumni and Maryville University leaders. \u201cVantage has been proud to serve this region since 1957, and Maryville\u2019s Division I hockey program is an exciting addition to metro St. Louis,\u201d said Eric Acree, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vantage Credit Union<\/strong>. \u201cWe\u2019re proud to support this next chapter for Maryville and what it means for our community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vantage committed in February, the largest gift so far to Maryville’s $5.5 million campaign<\/a> to take the program to Division I. The same partnership supports financial literacy workshops, with Vantage serving as the Hockey Center’s exclusive financial institution sponsor. \u201cHaving the Vantage name on the ice is an honor, but this partnership is about much more than a sponsorship,\u201d said Michael Gatrell, Chief Growth and Revenue Officer at Vantage Credit Union<\/strong>. \u201cIt\u2019s about two St. Louis organizations growing together and creating opportunities for students, alumni and our community. Through financial wellness experiences, workshops and scholarships, we want to help Maryville students build strong financial futures that extend well beyond their time on campus.\u201d<\/p>\n

The transition schedule runs 26 games, 18 of them against NCAA Division I opponents. Friday opens with ACHA Division I action against Midland before the Saints travel to Yale and Princeton, play Lake Superior State and Ferris State in early November, and meet cross town Lindenwood for the first time in the new era. Maryville completes the move to full NCAA Division I Hockey<\/a> status.<\/p>\n

The project sits inside the Saints Plan, Maryville’s strategic commitment to learn deeply, serve boldly and lead with heart, and to build partnerships that strengthen the St. Louis region. \u201cFriday is the start of the transition our players have been working toward, and this groundbreaking makes it official,\u201d said Brittany Clarke Fennell, Vice President of Athletics and Recreation at Maryville University<\/strong>. \u201cWhile this is Maryville\u2019s milestone, it\u2019s equally a story for all of St. Louis.\u201d<\/p>\n

About Maryville University<\/h2>\n

Founded in 1872, Maryville University is a comprehensive and nationally ranked private institution with an enrollment of well over 9,000 students. Maryville offers over 90 degrees at the undergraduate, master\u2019s and doctoral levels, as well as several certificates that align with the undergraduate and graduate education levels. Maryville is recognized as the third fastest-growing private university in the United States by The Chronicle of Higher Education, serving students from 50 states and 56 countries. More than 50,000 Maryville alumni globally, many of whom work and live in the St. Louis region.<\/p>\n

About Vantage Credit Union<\/h2>\n

Vantage Credit Union<\/a> is a leading, full-service financial institution with over $1 billion in assets and 68,000 member-owners. The credit union\u2019s 14 locations serve 19 counties in eastern Missouri, including St. Louis County, St. Louis City and St. Charles County, along with Madison and St. Clair counties in Illinois. Vantage Credit Union believes financial services should make life easier, not more complicated. Since 1957, Vantage has put members first with solutions designed to save time, save money and reduce financial stress.<\/p>\n

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