UCLA Bruins Ice Hockey: A Legacy on Ice and a Vision for the Future

For over 95 years, the UCLA Men’s Ice Hockey team has represented the Bruins on the ice, since the team’s inception in 1926. The team is ingrained in the fabric of this prestigious school. UCLA Ice Hockey has a rich history. The Bruins ice hockey club has strived to be the best since the club's inception in 1926. The team began the season with a winter carnival held at Lake Yosemite. The Bruins were entered in both the ice hockey and speed skating events and the school with the best combined finish would be awarded the President Herbert Hoover Cup.

Early Years and Varsity Status

Before the school was even called 'UCLA', the ice hockey program was formed, joining several other local teams including USC and Occidental. Starting in 1926, back when it was known as the Southern Branch of the University of California, UCLA opened the doors to its first varsity hockey program, joining several others such as now-rival USC. In their first two seasons, the Bruins were undefeated against teams from Southwestern University, Occidental College and the Hollywood Athletic Club. In 1928, before a record crowd of 1,500, UCLA faced the Trojans for the first time on ice. In its first three seasons, the Bruins dominated the Southern Intercollegiate Hockey League and became a premier club team in the west as two time winners of the Pac-8 Conference championship. For three consecutive seasons, the Bruins won the Southern Intercollegiate Hockey League Championship. The 26-member squad was originally a Division I program.

The Impact of World War II

They even represented the University as a varsity program, competing against other Division I teams like USC and LMU, until World War II caused college hockey programs all over the West Coast to shutter due to budget constraints for the war effort. The team continued for several years despite the Great Depression being in full force. In the late 1930s a new arena was built for the Los Angeles programs but World War II forced all of the pacific coast teams to shutter their programs in the early '40s. World War II forced a reduction in the athletic department’s budget, ending UCLA’s status as a Division I hockey school.

The Tropical Ice Gardens Arena

Ice hockey gained huge popularity in Westwood just after the Tropical Ice Gardens Arena was built in 1938 right on the corner of Weyburn and Gayley in Westwood. In November 1938, an ice rink opened in Westwood Village. Located southwest of the intersection of Gayley and Weyburn, where Weyburn Terrace II is today, the rink occupied land that was owned by the federal government. At the time it was the only year round outdoor rink in the world and became home to the Bruins. The arena could seat up to 10,000 and created a call for big league ice hockey expansion into the western United States. The facility contained 21,000 square feet of ice and could accommodate close to 2,000 skaters and 12,000 spectators. On opening day, the Los Angeles Times declared that “neither sun nor desert wind shall keep Los Angeles from skating.” After more than a decade of playing at the arena and after considerable deliberation, it was decided, in 1949, that the Tropical Ice Garden's Arena would be torn down for UCLA expansion. The ice rink was closed in 1949 and scheduled for demolition to accommodate an expansion of UCLA.

The Club Team Era

UCLA eventually returned to the ice in 1961 but only as a club sport. Ever since then, the now club ice hockey team has been clawing their way back, hoping to one day restore their place at the top of the college hockey world. Currently, UCLA plays in the West Coast Hockey Conference in the Tier 1 division against rivals like Loyola Marymount, Long Beach State, Grand Canyon, Northern Arizona, Arizona State, and others. They've made back to back appearances at the ACHA Men's D2 Western Region playoffs. Today, UCLA has been granted Tier 1 Club Sports status and continues to compete at a high level within the PAC-8.

The Crosstown Cup Rivalry

Historically, UCLA and USC have faced off in an annual 5-game series dubbed "The Crosstown Cup". Each year, the two teams face off in a five-game series called the Crosstown Cup, typically played at Crypto.com Arena, home of the Los Angeles Kings.

Recent Success and Coaching

Despite being a club program, UCLA has had recent success on the ice. While the 2024-25 team didn’t meet expectations, the Bruins posted a 35-16 record from 2022-24 under head coach Griffin McCarty. McCarty believes UCLA is a high-end destination for hockey players looking to advance their careers while receiving a top-tier education - but with the team still designated as a club, the exposure is minimal. “The more seasons like we have this year (will) let kids know if you are a great academic student and a great hockey player, come to UCLA,” McCarty told Amelie Ionescu, of the Daily Bruin. “You’re going to get a great degree, you’re going to play high-level hockey, and you’re going to have a great time.”

The Challenges of Location and Funding

One of the reasons why hardly anyone knows we have a team is because there is no ice rink close to campus. Their home rink has been as far south as El Segundo and they currently play and practice at The Cube in Santa Clarita, which is 31 miles north of campus. To be perfectly clear, it would cost millions of dollars to establish an NCAA hockey team. Building an ice rink close to campus, scholarships, equipment and travel all add up rather quickly. UCLA has already allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to programs like basketball, football, and baseball. The baseball team reached the College World Series for the first time in 12 years, and football is in the midst of a promising rebuild.

The Untapped Potential of West Coast Hockey

That time is now! UCLA has an opportunity to lead the revival of college hockey and become the first NCAA Division I hockey program on the West Coast. There is an untapped market for Division I hockey on the West Coast. Other than Arizona State, who made the jump from club hockey to the NCAA in 2015, the closest teams are either in Colorado or in the Dakotas. Giving college hockey a legitimate platform out West would expand the game and introduce the sport to new fans. With two NHL and four AHL franchises within a two hour drive of campus, the professional side of hockey is currently at a peak.

The Growth of Youth Hockey in California

Importantly, there is also a surge in the youth hockey movement in California. According to USA Hockey, during the 2016-17 season, “California saw the largest increase of 8U (eight and under) players in its history; up 25.2 percent to 3,553.” For the 2019-20 season before COVID, registrations almost reached 5,000 youth players. The players coming up through these programs have represented the United States in the World Juniors International Tournament, played at elite hockey colleges like Michigan, and some have even gone on to the NHL as well. As the world gets back to normal from the pandemic, these numbers will only continue to grow. Professional and youth hockey are thriving in our very own backyard, so why not take advantage of that and expand into the NCAA as well? Youth and peewee programs have exploded in participation. The region has seen three Stanley Cup wins - two by the Kings, one by the Ducks. And there’s a growing list of California-born NHL stars like Jason Robertson, Trevor Moore, Thatcher Demko, and more. The challenge? The West Coast lacks Division I representation. Aside from ASU and a few teams in Alaska, nearly every D-I hockey program resides in the Midwest or Northeast.

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The Role of Alumni and the Path to Division I

Part of this expansion has to do with UCLA alumnus Henry Samueli ’75, M.S. ’76, Ph.D. ’80. As the co-owner of the Anaheim Ducks, he and his wife, Susan, have made it their mission to make hockey affordable and accessible to kids who want to play, with free learn-to-skate and economical learn-to-play programs offered at The Rinks in Southern California. One realistic long-term funder is Anaheim Ducks owner and UCLA alum Henry Samueli, a billionaire whose name is on the school’s engineering department. But with $1 billion in planned renovations for the Ducks’ Honda Center, it may be a reach to expect Samueli to step in right now. ASU’s hockey program received $32 million in donations from Don Mullett and an anonymous donor. So the Bruins will need something of that nature. Arizona State was able to move their club team into a Division I team after two alumni of the school heard about their ambitions and made a multi-million dollar donation to the team. Penn State had a similar story in 2010, when PSU alumnus Terrence Pegula also made a multi-million dollar donation to their athletics program, so their club team could move up to the NCAA. In order to make this a reality, there are a couple of things you as alumni can do. Help spread the word! We know that many Bruins are involved in the hockey community and some may have the resources to help. Donate to the team through the UCLA Foundation and UCLA Spark.

Benefits of a Division I Program

By having an NCAA Division I hockey program on campus, we would solidify UCLA as a top-tier athletic school at yet another sport. No one is going to out-recruit UCLA on the West Coast, because there are no college hockey teams of this caliber in the area. The move also gives us the opportunity to overtake Stanford for the most NCAA championships in the nation. Imagine the student and media buzz that would happen if UCLA moved into the next tier of college hockey. Not only would it make national headlines, similar to what Arizona State did over half a decade ago, but these games would have primetime slots on sports networks because West Coast college hockey would be such a novelty. Imagine the type of players UCLA would be able to recruit. Unless those youth players want to play halfway across the country or further, the logical destination would be here, especially given the immense pool of 149,779 UCLA applicants in 2021. Imagine the school spirit a Division I hockey team would bring to Westwood. It would be something new and exciting for all Bruins, especially for those who grew up loving hockey. UCLA jerseys and sweaters would be seen in every rink in the Southland, further amplifying the notion that UCLA leads the way in expanding opportunities for all, both athletically and academically.

Expanding Women's Sports

This is also a major opportunity to expand women’s sports on our campus as well, in compliance with Title IX rules. The current women’s lacrosse club team on campus has a strong program and following, and we currently have two teams filled with interested players. They could join six other Pac-12 schools that already have varsity women’s lacrosse teams, and a new field would not have to be constructed because they can play their home games at the Wallis Annenberg Stadium. In this sense, the hockey and lacrosse teams complement each other very well with a move up to Division I.

Notable Alumni

With alumni that span from the late great John E. Anderson ’40, the namesake of the school of management, and Brian Callahan ’06, offensive coordinator for the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals, ice hockey team members have continuously given back to the school and represented the blue and gold with dignity and pride after they have graduated. An honorable player mention would be to John E. Anderson, the namesake of the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Anderson attended UCLA on an ice hockey scholarship and played from 1936-1940. After his graduation, Anderson donated generously to UCLA. We at UCLA Ice Hockey thank the late John E.

Early Season Challenges in 1930-1931

Despite high hopes, several injuries severely curtailed UCLA's ability compete. Eight players were injured with ailments ranging from a broken nose to a dislocated elbow. Worse, assistant coach Colonel Bain was struck in the head by a stick while standing on the bench. UCLA was scheduled to compete in a second winter carnival, this time at Lake Arrowhead, but transportation difficulties caused the team to arrive just before night and the game was postponed. After winning their second game of the season, UCLA had to go into the rematch with Loyola missing their star center, Clarence Scott, who was suffering from a punctured Kidney. When the team returned to action in late February, coach Tafe made several lineup changes, including placing "Frenchy" LaGasse in goal. The team ended up producing its best effort to that point, winning the game 4-1. At this point the Bruins were well in the mix for a championship but they would have to do something they had never done in program history; defeat USC. With Scott still recovering from his Kidney injury, the team met the Trojans for the third time that season. Once again the game went into overtime and, once again, Southern California ended as the winner. USC won the final match, shutting down the entire Bruin offense.

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