University of Minnesota Athletics
Ridder Arena To Open Saturday
10/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Ridder Arena is built adjacent to the women's former home, Mariucci Arena, and across 4th Street from Williams Arena and the Sports Pavilion. It the only facility built specifically for a college women's college hockey team.
"Having this arena tells us that the University continues to be a leader in women's hockey," head coach Laura Halldorson. "We are in a very unique situation to have our own facility. Everyone involved is very fortunate and grateful."
The $20 million facility was funded through a lead gift of $500,000 from Bob and Kathleen Ridder, along with $10 million in state funding and $3.1 million from corporate funding and funds generated from Wilson's Way, an innovative fundraising idea from Gopher women's cross country and track & field coach Gary Wilson.
"This arena is unbelievable," forward Kelly Stephens said. "I feel honored and blessed to be able to play there. I get goosebumps walking in there."
The hockey facility, built by Shaw-Lundquist and designed by Ankeny Kell Architects, will feature seating for nearly 3,400, including a club room with 210 seats and nine suites with seating for 14 each. The ice sheet in Ridder Arena is 200 x 85, the size of an NHL ice sheet.
"Both the size of the ice sheet and the fewer number of seats are factors that will make for a great atmosphere for both fans and the players. Things on the ice will happen a lot quicker and make for a more exciting brand of hockey," Halldorson said.
The mezzanine level includes concession, merchandise and memorabilia areas and a new strength and conditioning area of more than 4,000 square feet.
The facility also includes a weight room, comparably to one in Mariucci Arena. The weight room will be used primarily by the women's hockey and men's and women's tennis teams.
Minnesota men's and women's tennis teams also share the facility, taking up the majority of the area with 64,281 square feet, compared to hockey's 57,618 feet. The tennis facility has 10 indoor courts and 12 outdoor courts, with four being built across Fifth Street from the main facility. The tennis facility also includes a lounge, clubroom, locker rooms for each the teams, coaches and officials, seating for 480 people and concession and merchandise areas.
Mariucci and Ridder are connected via an underground tunnel to a common area for the arena's zambonis. The support space in the arena includes coaching, public, officials and team locker rooms, as well as athletic training, laundry and equipment rooms, all at ice level. The total area of the building will be 165,762 ground square feet. The building exterior comprises 53 percent brick, 39 percent precast and eight percent glass.
"This is the state of hockey. If anyone is going to build a women's college arena and take this step, it's going to be Minnesota," Stephens said.
Written by Media Relations Student, Kimberly Jackson On Saturday, October 19th, the Golden Gopher women's hockey team will commence play at the brand new Ridder Arena. The state-of-the-art arena gives Minnesota arguably the finest facilities for a women's hockey program in the nation.
Ridder Arena is built adjacent to the women's former home, Mariucci Arena, and across 4th Street from Williams Arena and the Sports Pavilion. It the only facility built specifically for a college women's college hockey team.
"Having this arena tells us that the University continues to be a leader in women's hockey," head coach Laura Halldorson. "We are in a very unique situation to have our own facility. Everyone involved is very fortunate and grateful."
The $20 million facility was funded through a lead gift of $500,000 from Bob and Kathleen Ridder, along with $10 million in state funding and $3.1 million from corporate funding and funds generated from Wilson's Way, an innovative fundraising idea from Gopher women's cross country and track & field coach Gary Wilson.
"This arena is unbelievable," forward Kelly Stephens said. "I feel honored and blessed to be able to play there. I get goosebumps walking in there."
The hockey facility, built by Shaw-Lundquist and designed by Ankeny Kell Architects, will feature seating for nearly 3,400, including a club room with 210 seats and nine suites with seating for 14 each. The ice sheet in Ridder Arena is 200 x 85, the size of an NHL ice sheet.
"Both the size of the ice sheet and the fewer number of seats are factors that will make for a great atmosphere for both fans and the players. Things on the ice will happen a lot quicker and make for a more exciting brand of hockey," Halldorson said.
The mezzanine level includes concession, merchandise and memorabilia areas and a new strength and conditioning area of more than 4,000 square feet.
The facility also includes a weight room, comparably to one in Mariucci Arena. The weight room will be used primarily by the women's hockey and men's and women's tennis teams.
Minnesota men's and women's tennis teams also share the facility, taking up the majority of the area with 64,281 square feet, compared to hockey's 57,618 feet. The tennis facility has 10 indoor courts and 12 outdoor courts, with four being built across Fifth Street from the main facility. The tennis facility also includes a lounge, clubroom, locker rooms for each the teams, coaches and officials, seating for 480 people and concession and merchandise areas.
Mariucci and Ridder are connected via an underground tunnel to a common area for the arena's zambonis. The support space in the arena includes coaching, public, officials and team locker rooms, as well as athletic training, laundry and equipment rooms, all at ice level. The total area of the building will be 165,762 ground square feet. The building exterior comprises 53 percent brick, 39 percent precast and eight percent glass.
"This is the state of hockey. If anyone is going to build a women's college arena and take this step, it's going to be Minnesota," Stephens said.
Written by Media Relations Student, Kimberly Jackson
