Photos by Richard Smith, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.57
Ice World
1300 Governors Ct Abingdon, MD 21009
Year Opened: 1996
Capacity: 300
Ice Hounds
Loyola University Maryland may not be as well-known as Loyola in Illinois. Or Loyola in New Orleans. Or Loyola Marymount in California. But this university began in 1852 as Loyola College in Maryland. It is a Roman Catholic, Jesuit private university located in Baltimore, Maryland.
Previously an all-male college, Loyola became coeducational in 1971, following its joining with Mount Saint Agnes College. Currently, Loyola is located right next door to the all-female Notre Dame of Maryland University.
Loyola has a strong liberal arts program, as well as a fine education school and the Joseph A. Sellinger School of Business and Management. Notable alumni include Tom Clancy, author of The Hunt for Red October, Mark Bowden, author of Black Hawk Down, and ABC Olympics commentator Jim McKay.
Loyola’s hockey team plays at the club level with opponents such as Salisbury University, Penn State Altoona, SUNY Albany, and the University of Maryland D3 level club team. The Greyhounds were Blue Ridge Hockey Conference (BRHC) Colonial Division champions in 2010, 2011, and 2014. They do play as part of the larger American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) system.
Ice World is a twin rink complex located in Harford County, Maryland, about 20 minutes northeast of the Baltimore area. Numerous youth and adult hockey leagues and teams play at the complex, which also offers many open ice skating times. Olympian and world champion ice skater Kimmie Meissner, a resident, can also be seen training at the facility off and on.
Food & Beverage 2
Ice World has a snack bar that serves both rinks. The food is a basic snack bar variety, but the pricing is fair and the overall variety is pretty fair. You may want to eat a larger meal before or after attending a game here, but the snack bar will provide basic nourishment.
Atmosphere 2
Loyola often gets some of the later game times so their ability to get a crowd is fairly weak. Games are also played often in Rink B. The atmosphere is pretty light although family and friends of the game participants often help out. There are just two small rows of seats in each rink, and many people will stand and watch directly at the glass along the corners of the rink.
Neighborhood 2
Ice World is located in an industrial park off Maryland Route 7 (Philadelphia Road). There is not much around the area except for the facility. If you want options before or after games, it is best to head either to the Route 24/Interstate 95 interchange or further north on Route 24 towards the larger Abingdon area.
The Boulevard at Box Hill is a shopping center with quite a few food options. I would recommend Boston’s Restaurant & Sports Bar restaurant chain. Wegman’s Grocery Store is also located here and offers another option for stocking up for the game.
Fans 2
Fans who attend club-level hockey tend to be friends or family of the game participants. Loyola often gets pretty poor game times and the stands are far from full. There will be virtually no students in attendance unless they are those friends or family. Ice World is too far from campus for students to attend games. The fans are very knowledgeable about the games and take things very seriously.
Access 4
Ice World is located not far off Interstate 95 at the Route 24 exit. Go south from the interchange, make a left (east) onto Route 7 (Philadelphia Road), and then a right onto either Continental Drive or Governor Court. The facility is at the rear of the business park. There is plenty of free parking, although depending on the event occurring on the other ice rink the lot may get busier. Harford County is located about 20 minutes northeast of the Baltimore area.
Return on Investment 4
Admission is free and parking is free. Loyola does play on a lower level of club hockey but if you are in the area the value is quite fair.
Extras 2
Check out the many banners for youth, adult, and college teams that also call Ice World home. There is also many a picture and plaque detailing the successes of the ice skating participants who also call the facility home. You may also want to check on events that are occurring on the other rink. Maybe you will catch world champion Kimmie Meissner practicing.
There is a good pro shop in the entrance area for Ice World.
Final Thoughts
Loyola University Maryland’s hockey team displays some good hockey for fans, although the large distance away from campus and a small fan base hampers things a bit.