Stadium Reviews

The Beanpot is a bucket list item for any sports fan, whether or not you follow college hockey.

What's the best way to recover from a Super Bowl hangover? Beans!

UMass Dartmouth offers an entertaining night of basketball at an affordable price. Fans who like their hoops with a side of architecture may wish to visit UMass Dartmouth for another reason entirely. A tour of the Paul Rudolph-designed campus can be just as interesting as the action on the court.

While Hetland Arena is no more than a serviceable home for the Corsairs, UMass Dartmouth hockey fans are advised to keep their eyes on the horizon. There are whispers in the air of big things coming in the future for Corsair hockey.

Several smaller schools in NCAA’s Division One have built shiny new arenas for their hockey teams recently. Meanwhile, the Crusaders soldier on at the Hart Center. While not as flashy or modern as many area rinks, it’s a solid place for the Crusaders to call home.

Springfield is an original AHL city, but it looked like their time in the league was done when the Falcons left town. That all changed when a new team and new ownership arrived, reinvigorating interest in minor league hockey in the city. The MassMutual Center may have a definite 70s vibe to its design, but the game day experience here is all new.

While Pieri Gymnasium may not be much to look at, it boasts a pretty impressive history for such a small facility. As Dean College grows their athletic program, this old barn will be sure to see more history made in the future.

The Hart Center is one of the nicer small basketball facilities in this part of the country. Watching a Crusaders game is an affordable experience in an intimate setting. While Holy Cross no longer competes among the giants in the sport, college basketball historians will enjoy looking around the Hart Center at the reminders of the Crusaders’ glory days.

Now that Stonehill has had a few years to settle into their new surroundings in Division One, it’s clear to see that they’ve made some upgrades to the game day experience at Merkert Gymnasium. With a recent announcement that a new facility is on the way for the basketball and hockey teams, this is a program that is poised for a big jump in the near future.

While the Hart Arena is not the primary home of Holy Cross volleyball, it’s a more than adequate place for the Crusaders to set up shop for their marquee games. If anything, it might be too big for their needs.

One of the more entertaining Division Three football experiences in New England can be found at UMass Dartmouth. After the game, take a tour of one of the more interesting campuses in the nation. In a region dominated by Gothic architecture, this Brutalist campus in the middle of the southeastern Massachusetts woods certainly stands out.

W.B. Mason Stadium is smaller facility which fits perfectly into the fabric of tiny Stonehill College. Now that the Skyhawks are a full-fledged member of Division One, they are no longer a program in transition, but the game day experience continues to evolve.

While the Tinsley Center is a basic facility, it provides a solid home for the Bridgewater State Bears. Small gyms such as this can be found throughout the country, providing quality competition at an affordable price. Those of you who don’t consider lower levels when watching college sports might want to reconsider. Don’t sleep on Division Three sports!

There’s nothing especially flashy or fancy about Driscoll Rink, and it certainly isn’t convenient for fans of Roger Williams hockey, but that doesn’t matter for Hawk hockey fans, who have been waiting almost three decades for a return to the NCAA. Surely there are more permanent plans on the horizon for the Hawks, so stay tuned…

It’s easy to be overshadowed in the crowded Boston hockey scene, but the Tsongas Center is still one of the better hockey rinks in the area, even if it’s often overlooked by its more famous brethren in the area.

TD Garden is never mentioned among the elite venues of the National Hockey League. But a visit to Boston has to be considered on any hockey fan’s short list. The fans, the neighborhood, and the Garden will not disappoint any Stadium Journeyer.

After playing three seasons in the Bridgewater Ice Arena near campus, it was obvious that something needed to be done in order for Stonehill to compete for recruits in hockey-mad New England. While playing in an arena 30 miles from campus is far from ideal, having Warrior Ice Arena as a home nest has allowed Stonehill to schedule nationally ranked opponents while they await their shiny new on-campus home.

Northeastern has been very quiet about what the future holds for the Matthews Arena site, which has led to rumors that red tape has held up the project, or that a renovation is being considered rather than a total replacement. A visit to the Northeastern hockey websites only display the schedules through December, when Matthews is due to close. No matter what is happening next at Northeastern, hockey fans are running out of time to take one last look at this historic rink.

At first glance, Skyhawk Field may not seem like it’s a proper Division One facility. But its charm is in its simplicity. Pull your favorite lawn chair up to the edge of the pitch and enjoy an afternoon of quality soccer in a relaxed setting.

Smith Soccer Stadium is a simple, but attractive facility that suits the needs of the Holy Cross soccer teams well. While you’re enjoying some soccer, you can take in some great views of the city of Worcester below.