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competitive men's EWU hockey club. Established in the spring of 1999, the club has continued to make its mark on the club hockey scene, sporting an over- all record of 129-54-14 and two National Championship tournament appearances. Prior to the opening of the URC the team both practiced and played their games in Spokane. Battling the same difficulties as so many other hockey clubs across the nation, their fan base was small due to the commute from Cheney to late-night games. The new facility changed all of that. Having a home sheet of ice on campus not only removed commuting time from the equation, but hockey became one of EWU's premier up and coming sporting events to attend. Reaching the arena seat- ing capacity at almost every home game during the 2008-2009 season, the trend continued this year with more than 800 people in attendance for the red vs. white pre-season scrimmage. An EWU women's hockey team is now forming and plans to make an additional positive impact for the University. The ice comes out once each year, and the arena is transitioned into two full- court basketball floors. The transition is made during EWU's spring break in mid- March, when the ice is removed, the cement slab is given ample time to dry out, and the Teraflex rubber flooring is laid down over the entire inside of the rink. The dasher boards, glass and netting remain up all year. Amenities The University Recreation Center houses several different departments and programs, and it offers more recreational opportunities to the Eastern community than ever before. The new fitness center more than dou- bled its square footage from its previous location. It is now a two-floor, 17,015 square-foot workout facility with a 200 meter running track and a gymnasium. The fitness center is run by a director, seven graduate assistants and more than 40 part-time student employees. There is also a climbing wall manager who oversees the 30' indoor climbing wall that is equipped with eight top ropes, two PHOTOS COURTESY OF EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY November/December 2009 R IN K M A G AZ I N E 13 STARrinks.com