The renovated women’s hockey lounge features wall-to-wall pictures of landmark moments in program history, including the program’s lone ECAC Hockey title in 2016.
Quinnipiac Athletics officially unveiled two state-of-the-art lounges for the men’s and women’s ice hockey teams this past weekend, marking the completion of the first stage in a total renovation of the locker room facilities.
Both lounges feature dedicated spaces for relaxation, work and film study, motion-activated sliding doors and fully-stocked kitchens. The rooms are centered around a colossal LED Bobcat logo inlaid into the ceiling, while the current ECAC Hockey standings are permanently displayed on vertical screens.
“It’s beautiful,” head coach Rand Pecknold said. “In the world of recruiting right now, you’ve got to keep pace with the big boys. We did a really good job with it, it’s going to help us a lot in recruiting.”
The project was funded by former Quinnipiac player Jeff Kinkead and his wife Mimi through the largest donation the athletic department has ever received. Kinkead suited up for the then-Division II Quinnipiac Braves in the early 1980’s.
Publicly available building permits indicate that the total cost of the locker room renovations is expected to exceed $1.5 million.
Kinkead is the president and CEO of Advanced Systems Resources Inc., an information technology company based in Miami. He previously donated $1 million to the University of Miami, where he graduated with an MBA in 1985, for scholarships and career development for student-athletes.
Quinnipiac Athletics unveiled the Rand and Nicki Pecknold Hockey Suite on Feb. 3. “It’s awesome,” junior forward Collin Graf said. “The boys just hang out there after practice, before class … I think it’s a lot better than the old one that’s for sure.” (Peyton McKenzie)
A wall in the men’s hockey lounge displays the 2023 NCAA Hockey national champions logo, flanked by photos from the Bobcats celebration after winning the title game in April. (Peyton McKenzie)
A TV at the front of the men’s hockey lounge is surrounded by whiteboards to discuss strategy or draw up plays. (Peyton McKenzie)
The men’s hockey lounge is dedicated to longtime head coach Rand Pecknold and his wife Nikki. “(Nikki’s) not on the roster, but she’s running the show, let’s be honest,” Pecknold said. “I couldn’t have the success that I have without her.” (Peyton McKenzie)
A custom Quinnipiac bubble hockey table, taken from the previous women’s hockey lounge, features figures bearing the name and number of some of the most prominent players in program history. (Peyton McKenzie)
The words “details,” “pace,” “relentless” and “north” are featured prominently on a gold ring that surrounds the Quinnipiac logo embedded in the ceiling of the Rand and Nikki Pecknold Hockey Suite. (Peyton McKenzie)
Motion-activated sliding doors bearing the Quinnipiac logo are the main point of entry into both lounges. (Peyton McKenzie)
