University News
WIU Ice Hockey Club Hits the Ice at the iwireless Center
September 10, 2009
MOLINE, IL – Fire up the Zamboni, smooth the ice and make way for Western Illinois University's Ice Hockey Club.
The club, which is comprised of Western students from the Macomb campus, is now calling the iwireless Center in Moline home. WIU Ice Hockey Club games will be played at 7:05 p.m. on Fridays and 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays and will precede some of the Quad City Mallards home games this season. The first WIU Ice Hockey Club matches at the iwireless Center will be against Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6-7.
"We are so appreciative to our partners at the iwireless Center and the Quad City Mallards for helping make the dream of hosting WIU hockey a reality. This partnership also provides Western our first opportunity to host a college club sport in the Quad Cities" said Joe Rives, vice president for Quad Cities, planning and technology. "Our students involved in club sports have a fantastic venue in which to play and we look forward to community support for our home games."
Admission to the WIU Ice Hockey Club games is donation-based and all proceeds benefit the WIU club. Western Illinois 1977 Alumnus and WIU Alumni Council President Roger Clawson, owner of Roger Clawson State Farm Insurance in Moline, is the team's corporate sponsor.
"The iwireless Center is extremely excited to be hosting the WIU Hockey Club. We hope that bringing collegiate-level hockey to the Quad Cities will gain an even greater fan base for the sport and inspire more youth in the area to take an interest in hockey" said iwireless Center Executive Director Scott Mullen.
"We are excited about welcoming the WIU Ice Hockey Club to the iwireless Center and teaming up with the Leathernecks throughout the season," said Mallards Executive Vice President and General Manager Shawn Hackman. "We are also glad to have the chance to help continue to promote the growth of the sport of hockey in the Quad Cities."
While many games this season will take place on the road, the team will take on McKendree College at the iwireless Center Feb. 5-6, 2010. The team will also play some games at the Owens Center in Peoria.
"On behalf of WIU and the Ice Hockey Club, we are pleased to call the iwireless Center our home for not only the upcoming season, but for many years to come," said WIU Ice Hockey Club President Brad Reed, a senior law enforcement and justice administration student from Coal Valley. "We hope to have a longstanding partnership with the Mallards. I think playing in such a fine facility will attract future players for the club, which will help make the team more competitive in league play."
For more information or to volunteer as announcers or clean-up crew, contact the WIU Ice Hockey Club at Western's Campus Recreation Office, (309) 298-1228.
Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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