Aside from five years in the 1940s, the men's ice hockey program has had varsity status since the 2012–13 season. The team plays in the Pegula Ice Arena and competed as an independent Division I team in the 2012–2013 season. In the 2013–2014 season, the team began play in the Big Ten conference's first year of sponsorship of men's ice hockey. Recently, the team achieved the number one ranking in Division I men's hockey for the first time in program history.