In 2001, MSU played hosted for the only time on campus in a game that was not held at Dem Hall or Munn, in front of the largest crowd to ever watch a hockey
game. The Spartan Stadium crowd of 74,554 set a world record which still stands to this day. MSU also holds the world record crowd for basketball viewership as
it hosted The University of Kentucky at Ford Field in front of an astounding crowd of 78,129.
Munn Ice Arena  
written by Ryan Boldrey
Munn Ice Arena, capacity 6,470, has been home to The Michigan State
Spartans since the beginning of the 1974-75 season. Replacing Demonstration
Hall, which is still used for IM sports and athletic classes, Munn stands as one
of the nicest arenas in the CCHA.

Munn Ice Arena was home to the NCAA's longest consecutive regular-season
sell-out streak. Dating from Dec. 19, 1985, when Michigan State packed the
venue against Northern Michigan University it remained full for the next 323
consecutive regular season home games spanning almost twenty years when
the streak came to a halt on Oct. 15, 2004 after Munn failed to fill all the way up
for a game against St. Lawrence University.

It is no wonder Munn was filling up every game for so long. During that stretch
MSU distinguished themselves as a constant near the top of the national polls
and enjoyed having College Hockey’s winningest coach of all time, and
Michigan State’s current athletic director, Ron Mason, running the show from
the Spartan bench. The team that started the sell out streak, the 85-86 crew
led by future NHL standouts Mike Donnelly and Bob Essensa, went on to win
the NCAA title that spring beating Harvard 6-5 in the championship game. The
Spartans fought their way back to the title game again the following year before
losing a heartbreaker just more than an hour from home, in Detroit, to North
Dakota 5-3. Mason took the Spartans to the tournament 19 times in his 23
years as coach, a feat only equaled by Boston U’s Jack Parker.

Munn has played witness to 7 MSU regular season CCHA championship teams
and a conference record 11 tournament championship teams . To put this in
perspective the Spartans joined the CCHA in 1981 after being a long time
member of the WCHA meaning all noted titles have been won in a matter of just
26 years.

The Spartans have also achieved 11 Frozen Four appearances and 3 NCAA
titles in their overall history, the most recent title run being in 2007 under the
direction of Mason’s successor, Rick Comley, who himself stands at 5th on the
all time NCAA wins list. Additionally, MSU’s eighteen Hobey Baker finalists is
more than any other school in NCAA history.
             Top 10 Largest Crowds at Munn Arena
1.    7,121 - March 1, 2001 - vs. Michigan - W 3-1
2.    7,117 - Jan. 7, 2000 - vs. Michigan - L 2-0
3.    7,113 - Feb. 15, 2003 - vs. Michigan - W 5-3
4.    7,092 - Nov. 3, 2006 - vs. Michigan - W 7-4
5.    6,991 - Feb. 12, 2000 - vs. Northern Michigan - W 2-0
6.    6,953 - March 4, 2000 - vs. Notre Dame - W 5-3
7.    6,943 - Feb. 11, 2000 - vs. Northern Michigan - W 3-2 OT
8.    6,909 - March 8, 2003 - vs. Western Michigan - W 8-5
9.    6,904 - Nov. 10, 2000 - vs. Northern Michigan - W 4-1
10.  6,902 - Feb. 6, 1987 - vs. Bowling Green State - W 6-3



Spartan fans were treated to their first national title team in Demonstrtaion Hall (left photo). Later that same year the Spartan Football team were named Co-
National Champions.  

MSU first introduced varsity hockey to Spartan fans in 1948 and since 1951, MSU has had just 3 coaches and each one has captured an NCAA title. Amo
Bessone was in charge of the team from 1951-79 winning the title in ’66. Ron Mason went on to win 608 games at MSU between the years of 1979-2002
including a National title in 1986 (middle photo). Mason who coached his early years at Bowling Green holds an overall record of 897-371-78. His 897 wins are
the most of all time in NCAA history. Following Mason on the Spartan pine was Rick Comley, the current coach who despite only being in East Lansing since
2002 has already won an NCAA title (2007, right photo).