Maryville officially announces launch of Division I men's hockey program

The program will play a transition season in 2026-27 with its first full D-I season in 2027-28

Maryville officially introduced its Division I men’s hockey program on Wednesday morning, holding a press conference to formally launch the initiative. The Saints will undergo a transition season in 2026–27 before beginning their first full NCAA Division I campaign in 2027–28. John Hogan has been appointed Assistant Athletic Director for Hockey at Maryville and will serve as the program’s inaugural NCAA head coach.

Hogan currently serves as the university’s Director of Hockey and head coach of Maryville’s ACHA Division I club program.

Maryville is located in Chesterfield, Missouri, just outside St. Louis. The program plans to play approximately 20 Division I games during the transition season, supplementing its schedule with contests against Division III teams, ACHA Division I programs, and U Sports opponents.

The university also plans to begin renovations to the Maryville Hockey Center in the near future. Last year, Maryville announced a $5.5 million campaign to renovate the arena, which will increase seating capacity to 2,000 and overhaul the facility’s player amenities.

The renovation project is expected to be completed before the program plays its first full Division I season in 2027-28.

“This is a historic moment for our university,” Maryville President Dr. Dan Shipp said. “Launching NCAA Division I men’s hockey reflects our continued commitment to academic and athletic excellence, and our belief in creating elite level competitive opportunities for student-athletes who want to achieve at the highest level, right here in St. Louis.”

Founded in 1872, Maryville competes at the Division II level in most sports. However, because the NCAA does not sponsor a Division II national championship in men’s hockey, programs at that level are permitted to compete in Division I — a model also followed by schools such as Augustana.

“The growth of hockey in St. Louis has been nothing short of extraordinary—propelled by the Blues’ unforgettable Stanley Cup run and the emergence of hometown stars like Pat Maroon, Clayton Keller, and the Tkachuk brothers, all who have, and have had, a big impact on the NHL in recent years,” said Kevin Westgarth, Vice President of Hockey Development & Strategic Collaboration at the National Hockey League, in a statement released last year when Maryville announced plans to renovate the facility.

“Our partnership with Maryville University and the subsequent feasibility study underscored a strong and growing appetite for the game throughout the region. Now, pursuing Maryville Saints varsity hockey is the next step in strengthening our sport here in the heartland of hockey.”

I’ll have more on Maryville’s announcement, and what it means for the future of college hockey, in our next newsletter for subscribers.