High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Mariucci Arena is the home arena for the Minnesota Golden Gophers men`s ice hockey team of the University of Minnesota. The arena is located on the Minneapolis campus and seats approximately 10,000 fans (9,600 in the main bowl plus club room and suite seating). The arena opened in 1993 and is named after John Mariucci, the long time Gopher coach who is considered the "godfather of Minnesota hockey." Under the gate is a quote from Mariucci. "Through these gates walk the greatest fans in college hockey." The ice sheet is Olympic sized (100 feet by 200 feet). The women`s ice hockey team played at Mariucci from 1997 until 2002 when they moved to a smaller on campus arena known as Ridder Arena.