Worcester State becomes hockey rink's 5th tenant

Courtesy Worcester State University The Worcester State University team will have home ice in downtown Worcester in 2017.

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By Sam Bonacci

Worcester State University has signed on as an anchor tenant for the new Worcester Sports Center under construction in the city’s Canal District, the school announced.

WSU will be an anchor tenant for the $18-million sports center. WSU joins Becker College, Worcester Academy, Worcester Junior Sharks and Junior Crusaders as tenants at the Worcester Sports Center.

The WSU agreement includes ice time for all the men's team home games and practices as well as a permanent locker room. The agreement will allow the WSU ice hockey team to play home games locally in Worcester and will give the Lancers a permanent home throughout the season, according to a release last week from the university. WSU does not have a women's hockey team.

“The Worcester Sports Center will allow our student body to support their peers just a few miles from campus in downtown Worcester,” WSU Director of Athletics Michael Mudd, said in a statement.

Set to open in the summer, WSC is a two-rink facility that will house youth, high school and collegiate players, as well as tenants that will include a restaurant and services for players such as a physical therapy center. The cost of the project is estimated at $18 million.