When Michigan State begins its 2023-24 NCAA hockey season, the Spartans will do so on the Ron Mason Rink.
Prior to their home and season opener against Lake Superior State on Oct. 7, the Spartans will dedicate the ice surface inside Munn Ice Arena in honor of the iconic coach.
The Ron Mason Rink is a fitting homage to the late college hockey bench boss, as Mason led the Spartans for 23 seasons and 635 total wins.
While Oct. 7 is the first game of the season, it’s also the perfect opponent for the dedication ceremony – Mason started his head coaching career at Lake Superior State before moving on to Bowling Green and then Michigan State.
In total, he won 924 college hockey games, which was the most of head coach in college hockey history when Mason retired in 2002. He has been passed since, only by the legendary Jerry York of Boston College.
“The legacy of Ron Mason is felt throughout our arena every day,” said MSU head coach Adam Nightingale. “He set high standards and had some of the most legendary teams and athletes in the sport under his guidance. This rink is where his teams entertained hundreds of thousands of fans during a decades-long sellout streak and he developed players into NHL prospects every day. It is a fitting tribute to a coaching legend for all he meant not only to us here at Michigan State, but also the game of college hockey.”
Mason won a NAIA national championship with Lake Superior State in 1972, and then a NCAA national title with Michigan State in 1986. He took 22 teams to the NCAA Tournament, and he helped build the original CCHA hockey conference in 1972. Mason won 10 CCHA regular-season titles and 13 CCHA postseason championships.
He also served as Michigan State’s director of athletics from 2002-07 after his retirement from coaching.
“Ron Mason is one of the iconic coaches in the history of Michigan State Athletics,” said MSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Alan Haller. “Naming the rink in his honor provides a reminder of what he meant to Spartan Hockey, MSU Athletics and our entire community as Munn Ice Arena was a gathering place for Spartan fans and one of the toughest tickets around. Capacity crowds have returned to Munn, connecting the present and future with our storied past. We look forward to this dedication with Ron’s family and friends to celebrate his legacy in a permanent way.”
