Augustana releases new look at Midco Arena

Hockey fans now can get a glimpse at what games will be like at Augustana University’s new Midco Arena.

The university released several images from JLG Architects showing the new facility, which is under construction on campus at 33rd Street and Grange Avenue.

“I’ve heard from so many in our community as they’ve followed the progress of construction, and now we get to share what the end product will look like, so it just brings this first-class facility to life,” Josh Morton, Augustana director of athletics, said in a statement. “Hockey fans and our student-athletes are going to love Midco Arena.”

The arena will seat 3,082 fans and include a luxury club area and 12 suites. In addition to the 154,000-square-foot arena and the amenities for the hockey program such as a locker room and puck shooting room, the facility will house the GreatLIFE Strength & Conditioning Center and a locker room and lounge area for the Augustana Viking soccer team.

The GreatLIFE center will be over 4,400 square feet with a second-level turf area spanning more than 2,800 square feet. In all, Augustana’s strength and conditioning facility will total nearly 7,300 square feet.

The arena will open in mid-January 2024.

Augustana’s first home hockey weekend will be Oct. 14-15 against a Central Collegiate Hockey Association opponent to be announced. In addition, the Vikings also will play, as part of its full Division I schedule, three more contests in the Denny Sanford Premier Center on Nov. 25 and Jan. 5-6, 2024.

“We are blessed in Sioux Falls to have a facility like the Denny Sanford Premier Center that offers us the opportunity to get off to a great start in our inaugural season,” Morton added. “We appreciate the collaboration we have had with the staff at the Premier Center. At the same time, Coach Raboin and I have been strategic about our nonconference schedule, putting as many games as possible later in the year so we can play a majority of our home games in Midco Arena.”

As fans enter Midco Arena, they’ll be able to enter the Skol Shop, a one-stop shop to purchase their Augustana hockey and Augustana athletics apparel.

“We’re officially under a year away from competing in our inaugural season and with that comes a great amount of anticipation and excitement,” Vikings head coach Garrett Raboin said. “We feel we’re in a great place, and our staff continues to work as we look to secure the right pieces needed to build a strong foundation.

“There’s a wow factor in what we’re building on 33rd and Grange, and there are few things better than showing recruits and their families Midco Arena.”

The five game in the Denny Sanford Premier Center will be part of the Augustana season ticket holder package.

All Augustana hockey season tickets will be tied to an Augustana A-Club membership. The A-Club is the annual fundraising arm for Viking athletics.

Priority, location and number of seats available for purchase will be based on membership level and Viking Priority Points. For information on the Augustana A-Club, visit GoAugie.com/AClub.

The Vikings will announce the remainder of its nonconference schedule this spring with the CCHA schedule expected to be unveiled in the summer.