Men's Hockey | 8/19/2014 1:44:00 PM

Click here for a farewell to Ritter Arena story by Sal Maiorana of the Democrat and Chronicle.

ROCHESTER, NY – Frank Ritter Arena, longtime home of the RIT men's and women's hockey teams will be inducted into the 2014 Frontier Field Walk of Fame before the Rochester Red Wings' game against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Sunday, Aug. 24. In addition, men's basketball head coach Bob McVean will also be inducted before the game that begins at 1:05 p.m.

In 46 years at 2,100-seat Ritter Arena, the men recorded a 434-165-1 mark at the historic building. From 1980-2005, the Tigers had an impeccable 274-63-8 record at Ritter Arena. The school record for wins in a season at Ritter Arena was 16 in 1983-84. RIT also recorded 15 wins at Ritter Arena in 1985-86, 1988-89, and 2009-10. The only undefeated season at Ritter Arena was 1998-99, when RIT was 14-0-0.
 
RIT won at least 10 home games in a season 24 times, including six straight 10-win seasons from 2006-2012. RIT had an eight-year run of at least 10 straight wins at home from 1995-2003. From 2006-2014, the RIT women recorded an impeccable 93-20-6 mark at Ritter Arena, winning at least 10 games six times.
 
The Tigers will move into the 4,300-seat Gene Polisseni Center on campus in September.
 
Ritter Arena was the site of countless ECAC West Championship games, AHA Quarterfinal games, and the 1989 and 2001 NCAA Division III National Championship games. RIT's women hosted back-to-back NCAA Division III Championships in 2011 and 2012, winning the title on March 17, 2012 vs. Norwich.
 
Ritter Arena opened in 1968 as part of the original Brick City design that included nine academic facilities and one athletic building, which also housed the Ritter-Clark Gymnasium. Over the last five decades, the addition of a press box, coaching offices, new locker rooms, training areas, new lighting and sound systems, and several general improvements helped RIT into the 21st century. It is widely known in college hockey circles as one the loudest and intimate Division I hockey venues.
 
In addition to the countless memorable hockey games, Ritter Arena is the site of several commencement ceremonies year in and year out, along with the Genesee Figure Skating Club, Rochester Youth Hockey, Empire State Games, and the Section V Ice Hockey Championships. In 1991, the Horton Distinguished Speaker Series brought former president Jimmy Carter to Ritter Arena, and renowned musical act U2 played a memorable concert in 1983, while other big acts like Elvis Costello, Gin Blossoms, and Cheap Trick, along with former Tonight Show host Jay Leno performed.

The arena will continue to be used by the Genesee Figure Skating Club, Section V and Rochester Youth Hockey, and various RIT events (open skates, classes, intramurals, commencement ceremonies, among others).