The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1547338
20 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY NOAH FLEISCHMAN eff Ammons is no stranger to hockey in the Triangle region. As the developer of the Wake Competition Center, he's been a staple of the hockey community in Raleigh, watching it explode over the past 25 years while the Carolina Hur- ricanes have enjoyed success as an NHL franchise. While the local franchise winning the Stanley Cup twice (2006 and 2026) in the last 20 years has been key in hock- ey's growth in the area, the same could be said for the trajectory of NC State's club team. The program just celebrated its 50th anniversary, and it's become one of the Wolfpack's more competitive non-varsity sports, building a nation- ally recognized brand in the process. "Ever since COVID, the interest in college hockey has just been exponen- tial," said Ammons, who is also a mem- ber of the Wolfpack Club's Red Wolf Society. "We've seen the level of play increase greatly, the fan base increase. … We've just watched it continue to grow." The team, which dubs itself the Ice- Pack, is off to a 7-5-2 start as a mem- ber of the American Collegiate Hockey Association's top division of play this season. Ammons, whose career has been made developing ice rinks, believes NC State's club players represent the "pur- est form of student-athlete" in a time in which most pay attention to the NIL- driven varsity sports across the country. An NCAA eligibility change effective Aug. 1, 2025, allowed eligible Cana- dian major junior players to compete in college hockey. Ammons believes that influx has increased competition for NCAA roster spots, helping the IcePack and its league counterparts attract play- ers who previously might have com- peted at the NCAA level. Just take his son, Jack, for example. He left home at 17 to pursue a junior hockey career of his own, playing in Michigan, Pittsburgh, Boston and New J GAINING AN EDGE Growing Crowds And Rising Talent Fuel The IcePack's Momentum While NC State's Hockey Program Celebrates 50 Years Crowds at Lane Arena in Morrisville, N.C., help power NC State's self-supporting hockey program, with ticket sales providing revenue for coaching, ice time and travel. PHOTO BY ALEX MANUEL/ICEPACK HOCKEY.