Tennessee State’s hockey program is expected to hit the ice during the 2025-26 athletic and academic school year, but there are concerns about the program’s viability as the institution as a whole faces some serious problems.
Last month, Tennessee State announced a financial crisis brought on by mismanagement of funds and a financial action plan to address “severe structural deficits.”
Tennessee State’s investment in hockey is slated to be in the neighborhood of 2.5 million dollars in the upcoming inaugural year, but they are receiving help from the hometown team, the NHL’s Nashville Predators. According to a story by Meredith Turits of Front Office Sports, the Predators will provide the Tigers’ men’s and women’s programs with a home rink, one of several Ford Ice Centers the Preds own and operate in Nashville.
Tennessee State hockey assistant athletic director for communications and creative Nick Guerriero says that in spite of the university’s financial struggles, the program intends to move ahead and be ready for next season’s target start date.
“Everyone is operating as normal. We’re just doing our day-to-day like we’re supposed to,” Guerriero told FOS. “It’s just in God’s hands, essentially. The university has to do what’s best for them, not what’s best for us. It’s a business. Sports is a business.”
Head coach Duante Abercrombie says there are ongoing fundraising efforts to assist with TSU Hockey’s expenses and resources, but he wants to be sure that the program has the look and feel of a program that Tennessee State stakeholders – and other interested parties – would love to invest in.
“A lot of it has been word of mouth,” Abercrombie said. “My goal with the entire program is we have to have good bones first. We have to make sure that we look and operate a certain way, and that the conversations are being had with individuals that when we are prepared to activate and move financially, those individuals are ready to move.”
