The spirit of Hobey Baker lives on in the rink bearing his name.
Some nine decades ago, in December 1921, it was announced that Princeton would build a hockey rink and name it after its greatest athletic hero, Hobart A.H. Baker ’14. While the game setting that fans enjoy inside Hobey Baker Rink is very similar to what fans enjoyed when the building opened, the facility has undergone several upgrades and renovations through the years to give the Princeton hockey teams a modern and top-notch facility in which they train and compete.
Approaching its centennial, the 2,054-seat venue continues to undergo renovations that maintain its charm while enhancing the student-athlete and fan experience. A team video room, featuring a smart board and luxury theater-style seating, was added during 2015-16. Just two years prior a kitchenette with a plus-size refrigerator, multiple blenders, microwaves and coffee machines was added to keep the Tigers fueled throughout the season.
In 2017 the men’s and women’s locker rooms were completely renovated with along with dry stalls and stick rooms for each program. High-end graphics and decor have been installed throughout included the hallways to present the past and present of Princeton hockey. In the rink itself, a new sound system was completed in 2016 and a new scoreboard was added in 2018.
Other renovations include lobby upgrades at the north end of the arena. Trophy cases, photo montages and new paint now pay homage to the history and tradition of hockey at Princeton. In
the northwest corner of the lobby are trophy cases honoring both Hobey Baker and Patty Kazmaier. That part of the lobby also houses award plaques for both the men’s and women’s teams as well as the certificates of Princeton first-team All-Americans.
The southwest corner of the lobby houses the Ken Scasserra Friends Room, which was dedicated in the fall of 2010. The room, which looks out onto the ice surface provides both teams with a place to meet and entertain perspective student-athletes and alumni.
Google Map from Ithaca, NY to Hobey Baker Rink, Princeton, NJ