Last year, Tennessee State University became the first historically black college or university (HBCU) to field a men's ice hockey team at the collegiate level, and now the coach of the new team unveiled the players' official home jerseys on June 21.
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According to NHL.com, the royal blue jerseys made their debut at the 67th Tennessee State University Alumni Convention on the Nashville campus, where coach Duante Abercrombie unveiled them to the crowd.
Last June, it was announced that Tennessee State University would have a hockey team ahead of the 2023 NHL Draft. Earlier this year, the university landed its first commitment to the ice hockey team, transfer student Xavier Abel. He transferred from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, where he played for the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division II team. He said: The Tennessean He always wanted to play at an HBCU.
NHL.com reported that Abercrombie was named coach of the Tennessee State University hockey team in April. Abercrombie had previously coached at Stevenson University and the Washington Little Capitals, NCAA Division III schools near Baltimore. He also served as a coaching development associate or guest coach with the San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Arizona Coyotes.
The team is scheduled to debut in the 2025-26 season.
Related content: TSU hires Duante Abercrombie as first head coach of men's hockey program.
