The Appleton Family Ice Center has been the home of Lawrence University hockey since 1999, but a stunning facelift for the facility has pushed the Vikings' home to the elite level in NCAA Division III.

A 7,000 square-foot addition to the building on Appleton's north side and a renovation of Lawrence's existing locker room was completed in 2020.

"We are extremely thankful to all of the alumni donations and the work of (Assistant Director of Athletics Giving) Andrew Borresen that made our vision become a reality," Lawrence men's hockey coach Mike Szkodzinski said. "It has taken a long, long time, but in the end it has turned out even better than we could have expected."
  The addition to the south side of AFIC includes a spacious locker room for the Vikings next to the new restroom and shower facilities. The Vikings' space also includes a lounge for the players and office space for the coaches. Also included in the new space is an athletic training room, equipment storage and an area to work on sticks and skates.

"The project has already assisted in our recruitment of top-tier student-athletes for the program," Szkodzinski said. "There is no doubt that the space helped attract a number of the current new players and will continue to do so as we move forward."

The new space also includes a locker room for Appleton United, the combined team made up of Appleton high school players.

Another part of the project included a renovation of the existing Lawrence locker room at the facility. The new Lawrence women's team, which is making its debut in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association in the 2020-21 season, has moved into the renovated space.

"It's been a lot of fun making this locker room the new home of Lawrence women's hockey," Lawrence women's hockey coach Jocey Kleiber said. "It's still a work in progress, and it will fully become our home the more we're able to add to it, especially once games begin. This room that has some great history from its days as the men's hockey locker room, and we're hoping to channel some of that good history into what it will be for us today and in the future."

Szkodzinski, who has served as the Vikings' men coach for 14 seasons, spearheaded the project and worked closely with Borresen and his colleagues in Lawrence's Office of Development.

"Seeing the project come together has been humbling, but it is also something we are very proud of accomplishing. It has taken over 14 years of diligent, consistent work from so many people, specifically Andrew Borresen and our Development staff. This project has set an example for what can be done for all of our athletic programs. We have generous alumni who want what is best for the athletes, and it will be great to see other programs attack their vision of what they believe can help take their programs to another level."