A substantial shift is coming to the Union College sports and athletics community after the 2024-2025 academic year. Frank L. Messa Rink at the Achilles Center will retire as the skating ground for Union College men’s and women’s Division 1 ice hockey. The planned closure of the facility comes 50 years after its opening and dedication in 1975 and three years after the announcement of a planned replacement facility in 2022.
Among the reasons for closing the rink include a series of mechanical and structural problems with the rink’s upkeep which altogether would not be cost effective to address in the form of repairs to the facility itself. The Union Athletics department cited the facility’s need for “significant upgrades to remain consistent with other Division I facilities in ECAC Hockey.”
In comparison to the current location, the new facility, which is currently under construction by the Mohawk Harbor, will sport improved amenities, a 10 percent greater seating capacity, and a more evenly-enclosed seating format– with the stands encircling the entire rink instead of the Achilles Center’s sideline-style setup. Still, plans for how the Achilles Center itself will be converted for future use will not be implementable until the completion of this year’s ECAC Hockey season.
“Of course it will be sad to see the old arena go,” said Sebastian Cillia, a member of the Union Men’s Club Hockey team, which plays their home games at Messa and will play at the new rink. “But at the same time it is always good to look into the future and see what great new memories and opportunities a new facility can bring.”
The project, which plans to be completed by the beginning of the 2025-2026 ECAC Hockey season, is possible in part by a large collaboration between Union trustees, the Schenectady County Legislature, the Schenectady City Council, and the State of New York to fund its construction. Current estimates on the end cost currently sit at about $50 million, almost a third of which having been provided by the aforementioned supporters.