from TheSunDevils.com,

Arizona State Vice President of University Athletics Ray Anderson announced the elevation of the 2014 ACHA National Championship ASU Men’s Ice Hockey program to NCAA Division I status.

The announcement makes men’s ice hockey Sun Devil Athletics’ 23rd NCAA-sponsored sport. It was made possible by hockey supporters, including Don Mullett, the father of former Sun Devil hockey student-athlete Chris Mullett, who came together to donate $32 million to elevate the program.

“Head coach Greg Powers has built a powerhouse ice hockey program here in Tempe, and because of his work it was probably a matter not of ‘if’ but ‘when’ Sun Devil Hockey would be ready to compete at the highest level,” Anderson said. “I am grateful for the generosity shown by our hockey supporters to make this move possible, and I am hopeful that more members of the extended Sun Devils Athletics family will help us grow this program for the future.”

Arizona State is the first power-five conference school to add men’s ice hockey since the Big Ten’s Penn State added the sport in 2012....

Sun Devil hockey will phase into Division I competition over the next three years by playing a hybrid schedule in 2015 with a mixture of DI and ACHA completion, followed in 2016 by full DI schedule independent of conference alignment.

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