David S. Ingalls Rink

David S. Ingalls Rink. The David S. Ingalls Rink is a Yale University-owned ice hockey rink located in New Haven, Connecticut, and is home to the Yale Bulldogs men's ice hockey team, which competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I and the ECAC Hockey conference, alongside teams like the Harvard Crimson men's ice hockey team and the Cornell Big Red men's ice hockey team. The rink has hosted numerous ice hockey games, including matches against the University of Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey team and the Boston University Terriers men's ice hockey team. The rink is named after David S. Ingalls, a Yale University alumnus and World War I fighter pilot who flew with the Lafayette Escadrille and later became a United States Navy admiral, serving during World War II under Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz.

● History

The David S. Ingalls Rink was opened in 1959, during the presidency of Yale University President A. Whitney Griswold, and has since become a prominent venue for ice hockey in the United States, hosting games against teams like the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey team and the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks men's ice hockey team. The rink has a seating capacity of over 3,500 spectators, making it an ideal location for ECAC Hockey conference games, as well as NCAA Division I tournaments, which have featured teams like the University of Denver Pioneers men's ice hockey team and the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's ice hockey team. The rink has also hosted games against Canadian teams, including the University of Toronto Varsity Blues men's ice hockey team and the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds men's ice hockey team, as part of the NCAA-U Sports ice hockey exchange program.

● Design and Construction

The David S. Ingalls Rink was designed by architect Eero Saarinen, who also designed the TWA Flight Center and the Gateway Arch, in collaboration with Yale University alumnus and architect Douglas Orr. The rink's design features a unique brutalist architecture style, with a concrete and steel structure, and a glass and aluminum façade, similar to the Yale Art Gallery and the Yale Center for British Art, which were also designed by Louis Kahn and Eero Saarinen. The rink's construction was made possible through a donation from David S. Ingalls himself, as well as funding from Yale University and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), with support from United States Senator Prescott Bush and Connecticut Governor Abraham Ribicoff.

● Facilities and Features

The David S. Ingalls Rink features a state-of-the-art ice hockey rink, with a NHL-sized ice sheet and a scoreboard system, as well as a concession stand and a pro shop, offering equipment and apparel from brands like CCM Hockey and Bauer Hockey. The rink also has a weight room and a training room, used by the Yale Bulldogs men's ice hockey team and other Yale University athletic teams, including the Yale Bulldogs football team and the Yale Bulldogs men's basketball team. The rink is located near the Yale Bowl, the Yale University Art Gallery, and the Peabody Museum of Natural History, making it a popular destination for Yale University students, faculty, and staff, as well as visitors from New Haven, Connecticut and beyond, including Harvard University President Drew Gilpin Faust and Stanford University President John Hennessy.

● Usage and Events

The David S. Ingalls Rink is used by the Yale Bulldogs men's ice hockey team for their home games, as well as for practices and training sessions, and has hosted numerous ice hockey tournaments and events, including the ECAC Hockey conference championships, which have featured teams like the Union College Dutchmen men's ice hockey team and the Quinnipiac University Bobcats men's ice hockey team. The rink has also hosted exhibition games against teams like the Russian national ice hockey team and the Czech national ice hockey team, as part of the NCAA-International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) ice hockey exchange program, with support from United States Ambassador John Kerry and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Additionally, the rink has been used for figure skating competitions, including the United States Figure Skating Championships, which have featured skaters like Nancy Kerrigan and Todd Eldredge, and speed skating events, which have featured athletes like Shani Davis and Joey Cheek.

● Renovations and Upgrades

The David S. Ingalls Rink has undergone several renovations and upgrades over the years, including the installation of a new ice sheet and a state-of-the-art sound system, as well as the addition of new seating and concession stands, with funding from Yale University and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), with support from United States Senator Richard Blumenthal and Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy. The rink has also been upgraded with new energy-efficient lighting and heating systems, as part of Yale University's sustainability initiative, which aims to reduce the university's carbon footprint and promote environmental sustainability, with guidance from Yale University President Peter Salovey and Harvard University President Lawrence Bacow. The rink continues to be a popular venue for ice hockey and other events, and is an important part of the Yale University athletic department, which also includes teams like the Yale Bulldogs women's ice hockey team and the Yale Bulldogs men's lacrosse team.

Category:Ice hockey venues in the United States