BOSTON, MASS. - The Merrimack College men's ice hockey team will take part in the 2024 Friendship Four in Belfast, Northern Ireland, it was announced on Thursday at the Massachusetts State House.
Merrimack will join Harvard, Boston University and Notre Dame at the 2024 edition of the tournament, which will be held at SSE Arena, home of the Belfast Giants.
Held annually in Belfast since 2015, the Friendship Four is designed to promote education, social welfare, and community interaction, building on the sister cities agreement between Belfast and Boston, which was signed a decade ago. Having seen a total of 24 games played across six tournaments, Northern Ireland remains the only destination outside of the United States to host consequential NCAA Division I ice hockey games.
"I am proud to announce that the Friendship Four will be taking place in 2024," Robert Fitzpatrick, chief executive officer of The Odyssey Trust, said. "Creating opportunities for student-athletes to have a global experience is incredibly important and something that underpins the tournament. The significance of the games reaches far beyond the ice, providing a unique opportunity to use sport as a tool to educate young people and create a spirit of mutual understanding, friendship, solidarity, and fair play."
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