Tennessee State University’s men’s ice hockey team—set to become the first program at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU)—has delayed its highly anticipated debut.
Originally scheduled to take the ice in 2024–25 as a club team before transitioning to NCAA Division I by 2026–27, TSU had shifted plans to debut directly at the Division I level in 2025–26. However, due to facility challenges and fundraising shortfalls, the program is now targeting the 2026–27 season for its official launch, according to The Tennessean.
The program is being developed in partnership with the Nashville Predators, who have offered use of their facilities and continue to assist with fundraising. Predators CEO Sean Henry praised TSU leadership, calling them “visionaries” and voicing continued support for the team’s long-term goals.
The hockey initiative was first announced during the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville, as part of a broader push to expand diversity and inclusion within the sport. The program has also received backing from the NHL, NHLPA, and College Hockey Inc., similar to how Arizona State and Augustana University successfully built their own Division I programs.
Despite the delay, TSU has already named a head coach—Duanté Abercrombie, hired in April 2024. Abercrombie is set to become the first Black male head coach of an NCAA Division I hockey team. He brings experience from NHL organizations like the Capitals, Maple Leafs, Bruins, and Coyotes, as well as collegiate coaching experience at Stevenson University (DIII).
The team currently has 13 players committed for the 2025–26 season, with two more for 2026–27 and one for 2027–28. However, both previously committed goaltenders—Johnny Hicks and Andrew Ballantyne—have since decommitted, leaving the team without a goalie for now.
TSU has yet to make a formal public statement following the report of the delay.
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