Athletics Pride

Thanks to Anthony DiLorenzo, a member of the UNH class of 1987 and owner of Key Auto Group, the University of New Hampshire is one step closer to transforming and expanding the training and support facilities in UNH’s beloved Whittemore Center as part of the UNH Hockey Renovation Project.

The Whittemore Center, home of UNH Wildcat Hockey, and the Hamel Recreation Center will now join together as the newly formed Key Auto Group Complex — a multipurpose center on the Durham campus.

DiLorenzo’s $4 million gift has already inspired other donors to make significant gifts, and supplements $6 million in state funding. Together, these funds bring the project closer to a goal of $16 million toward improvements.

“As a longtime supporter of UNH Hockey, this is an exciting opportunity to help UNH Athletics and the university meet their goal to create a more competitive state-of-the-art complex that will attract and retain talented student-athletes, draw in more fans and benefit the entire community,” said DiLorenzo. “I hope I inspire other corporate and individual donors to become a part of this project.”

Key Auto Group includes 12 car dealerships and collision centers in New Hampshire and more than 20 other locations around the country. As the company’s founder and owner, DiLorenzo has been active with UNH Athletics as a corporate sponsor. A real estate investor and developer, he was the highest bidder on Portsmouth’s McIntyre Federal Building.

“Anthony’s generous gift is a significant investment in UNH Athletics and will impact our student-athletes by enhancing their overall experience and allowing them to strive for excellence and compete for conference championships and beyond on a national stage,” said Allison Rich, UNH director of athletics.

The upgraded arena will feature more functional and accessible multi-use locker rooms for both men’s and women’s hockey and field hockey, an expanded strength and conditioning space, and new offices for staff. It will also feature a sports medicine area, video room, nutrition/study room and other support areas. The changes will benefit sled hockey athletes who compete on UNH’s Northeast Passage team, with a fully accessible locker room for their use.

The Whittemore Center opened on Nov. 10, 1995 — an event celebrated with a men’s hockey 6-5 overtime win against defending national champion Boston University in front of a standing-room-only crowd. Since then, it’s continued to be the home to men’s and women’s hockey, as well as Campus Rec intramural programs, commencement ceremonies, concerts, U.S. presidential visits and other special events. During COVID-19, the state legislature met there so that they could safely distance but continue their work.

That Whittemore Center opening win in 1995 came some 70 years after UNH’s first hockey team played, winning their first two games in January 1925. The team would play on an outdoor rink that was dependent on favorable weather to host the Wildcats and their opposing teams for decades, before Snively Arena was opened in 1965. It seems fitting, then, that the groundbreaking on this latest renovation is tentatively scheduled for 2025 — exactly a century after that very first UNH hockey game.

In celebrating DiLorenzo’s gift last fall, Gov. Chris Sununu noted: “UNH has one of the best hockey programs in the country. Investments in this facility — by UNH, the state and generous private supporters like Anthony — will be critical to ensuring the university’s Division 1 teams are equipped with Division 1 facilities. This project is central to continue building the brand of the university, recruiting students and quality athletes and keeping the team a point of pride for us all for years to come.”