While the University of Illinois is one of the most storied athletic programs in the Big Ten conference, one glaring oddity is its lack of a Division 1 men's ice hockey team.
Although they currently have a Division 1 club hockey team, the Illini have not had an actual team in the conference since 1943, after the team was disbanded due to a lack of players who left to fight in World War II.
As it stands, the Big Ten is at an odd seven teams comprising of Michigan State, Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin, and the oddball, Notre Dame. Although adding Illinois would round the conference out nicely, it may not be very likely.
Over the past few years, there have been pushes and speculation towards the University recreating a team. However, all of that noise was silenced by athletic director Josh Whitman in a statement made in 2022.
It outlined the financial difficulties brought on by the pandemic, the ever-changing landscape of money and NIL in college sports, and the lack of investments put into other sports due to the focus on making a hockey team work.
However, that statement was given three years ago, and both the University and college sports are in very different places now.
The path is very much there, but many obstacles still remain. Illinois is starting to make more money within its athletic department, which is a very positive sign, but the margin of profit is still not enough to warrant looking into a hockey team again.
Moreover, the cost of a stadium would be incredibly expensive. Whether they renovate the current ice arena they have on campus or build a completely new one, which would be more likely, the Illini would have to spend an enormous amount of the budget to kickstart the program.
All of that still does not account for the cost of a coaching staff and other staff members, players, equipment, and even the creation and designs of uniforms.
While the monetary issues the pandemic brought are starting to fade and the financial side of college sports is starting to become more defined, a Division 1 team for the Illini seems to be on the back burner.
The team would no doubt bring a whole new level of excitement and anticipation to a deeply passionate fanbase. Yet, major hockey in Champaign will likely have to wait.