BEMIDJI, Minn. — Bemidji State University will celebrate a new era for its NCAA Division I varsity intercollegiate men’s and women’s ice hockey programs on Friday, April 3, with a free rally and celebration on campus.

The rally, which will feature free food and prizes, will be held in Bemidji State’s Memorial Hall and will begin at 5 p.m. Admission is free and the public is encouraged to attend.

The rally will celebrate Bemidji State’s impending move into the Bemidji Regional Events Center, a new $50 million facility being constructed on the south shores of Lake Bemidji. The University signed a 20-year lease agreement with the city to serve as the anchor tenant in the facility, which will become the home of Bemidji State’s men’s and women’s NCAA Division I ice hockey programs.

The city of Bemidji will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the Bemidji Regional Events Center beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the construction site on the south shore of Lake Bemidji.

The rally also will celebrate Bemidji State’s pursuit of membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association on behalf of its men’s hockey program. Bemidji State announced its intentions to pursue membership in that storied conference in January, shortly after the conference announced the lifting of a decade-long ban on expansion. Members of the association’s site visit committee will be on hand, including conference commissioner Bruce McLeod.

Bemidji State’s women’s program has been a member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association since the league was founded in 1998.

There will be free hot dogs and the first 1,000 people in attendance will receive a Bucky the Beaver bandana. The rally will also feature live music and door prizes from a variety of local sponsors.

For more information about the rally, please contact the BSU Foundation at (218) 755-2762.

FOR YOUR CALENDAR
April 3 – 5 p.m. – Bemidji State University hockey rally. Free food and prizes. Location: Memorial Hall, BSU campus. Admission: free. Information: BSU Foundation, (218) 755-2762.