The St. Thomas men’s hockey team will play Minnesota State University-Mankato as part of Hockey Day Minnesota 2022 outdoors in Mankato next January, the Minnesota Wild and St. Thomas athletics department both announced Monday.

St. Thomas and host MSU will both be part of the brand new Central Collegiate Hockey Association, which will be dropping the puck in 2021. Under new coach Rico Blasi, the Tommie men’s hockey team will make history, along with the rest of St. Thomas’ athletics teams, to directly reclassify from Division III to Division I next school year.

MSU is currently a member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

“Minnesota State University is home to one of the top men’s and women’s hockey programs in WCHA history,” the Wild news release said. “The hockey program boasts 16 current and former NHL players and three Olympians.”

The game will be played on the MSU campus at Blakeslee Stadium, the home of its football team. The 7,000 seat stadium also served as home of the Minnesota Vikings’ training camp from 1966 to 2017.

More details, including dates and other participating teams, will be announced this summer. With the Tommies’ move to Division I, this will be its first season eligible to participate in Hockey Day Minnesota.

Hockey Day Minnesota was originated in 2007 by the Minnesota Wild “to celebrate the game that has made Minnesota the State of Hockey,” according to the news release. It is produced in partnership with the Wild, Minnesota Hockey, Bally Sports North and the respective community that serves as host.

Justin Amaker can be reached at justin.amaker@stthomas.edu.