Michigan Tech hockey to compete in Coachella Valley Cactus Cup | News, sports, jobs

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – Acrisure Arena, home of the American Hockey League (AHL) Coachella Valley Firebirds, an affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL) Seattle Kraken, is proud to announce the host of the first annual Coachella Valley Cactus Cup 2025 , featuring exciting NCAA Division I men's hockey series. With participating teams including the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, known as the River Hawks, Michigan Technological University, the Huskies, College of the Holy Cross, the Crusaders and the University of Nebraska-Omaha, the Mavericks, this inaugural matchup, college hockey fans can experience the excitement of seeing these teams face off on the ice in the iconic greater Palm Springs area.

The event will take place on Friday, January 3, with Holy Cross playing Omaha at 3:30 PM and Michigan Tech playing UMass-Lowell at 7 PM PT. The action continues on Saturday, January 4, with two more matches starting at the same times. The losers of both Friday matches will compete on Saturday at 3:30 PM and the winners will face each other on Saturday at 7:00 PM.

“We are thrilled to host the inaugural 2025 Coachella Valley Cactus Cup at the Acrisure Arena,” John Page, senior vice president of Acrisure Arena and Coachella Valley Firebirds commented. “This tournament will feature some of the most exciting NCAA Division I men's hockey teams in the country, giving fans an unparalleled experience of high-stakes hockey action. The matchups will be intense and showcase the competitive spirit of college hockey at its best. We can't wait to see these teams compete and showcase their talent on our ice.”

“We are truly excited to offer our fans the opportunity to attend the Cactus Cup Tournament in Palm Springs, California,” said UMass-Lowell head coach Norm Bazin. We have teams from four different conferences, so it has to be hockey for everyone involved. I know these non-conference games will give River Hawk Nation more to be excited about in the upcoming 2024-2025 season.”

“We are very excited to play this tournament in Palm Springs, California,” Mike Gabinet, head coach of the Mavericks, continued. “After watching the success and enthusiasm of the AHL's Coachella Valley Firebirds, I know this will be one of the best destinations to watch NCAA hockey. I look forward to sharing this experience with our athletes and fans.”

“We are excited to be going to the Cactus Cup in Palm Springs, California next winter,” said Holy Cross head coach Bill Riga. “It will be a great opportunity to compete against three great college hockey programs in an unconventional setting that will allow us to spread the Holy Cross hockey brand and the overall college hockey product all the way to the West Coast. It should be a great weekend and we are looking forward to it.”

“Michigan Tech is excited to travel west for the Cactus Cup,” Michigan Tech head coach Joe Shawhan stated. “It is a great opportunity for our team to play quality non-conference opponents, and we have a large alumni base in the area who are looking forward to seeing the Huskies in their backyard.”

PRESALE

Presales are open to the relevant teams, students and alumni from Tuesday, April 16 from 10 a.m. to Thursday, April 18 at 10 p.m. All other fans can participate in the presale from Thursday, April 18 from 10 a.m. to 10 a.m. p.m

CARDS

Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, April 19 at 10 a.m. PT through ticketmaster.com, the official ticket provider of Acrisure Arena. Tickets for the 2025 COACHELLA VALLEY CACTUS CUP provide access to both games scheduled each day, allowing fans to enjoy a full day of exciting NCAA Division I men's hockey action with just one ticket.

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