Binghamton University Athletic Director Gene Marshall told Fox 40 News Wednesday that the school is planning to add both men's ice hockey and women's field hockey as soon as the 2024-2025 Academic Year. 

When asked about the school's timeline for the two potential programs, Marshall said "We're working on those as we speak, we would like to have it done within the next two years, we are aggressively doing it."

The university is hopeful to begin the varsity Division I seasons in the 2024-2025 school year, according to the athletic department. Field Hockey is a fall sport while ice hockey is a winter sport. The athletic department says that the field hockey program will be in the America East whereas the ice hockey team is currently looking for conference affiliation.

There is no word on where the Ice Hockey team would play, but Marshall said it would be in a location that would benefit the local economy. 

"I think it's going to help Downtown Binghamton and even if we have to go to other sites to play through the southern tier, I think is going to generate a lot of revenue," Marshall said.

He also added that the field hockey team will get a new facility with other renovations to the athletic facilities.

"We're also working on as part of a major renovation over in the East Gym area. We're going to have an additional track, throwing areas and we're going to update the track and we're going to put the hopefully the women's field hockey field right there," Marshall said. "So they're going to be treated royally and I think hockey is going to be the same. And as we continue to increase the way we treat our student-athletes and the other sports. This is going to be the place to come with the indoor practice facility coming. Weather's not going to be an issue anymore. So people will come up here and I think we'll be able to beat Vermont and Maine and of course Albany so I'm looking forward to it."

When asked about the athletic department's five-year plan, Marshall said "By then we should have men's ice hockey and women's field hockey in play, they should be moving along pretty well and who knows what other sports we may have."

Marshall went on to say that the Southern Tier is one of the most talented areas in the country for high school field hockey and he hopes to keep some of that talent in Binghamton.

"I think that women's field hockey here on the high school level is off the chart," Marshall said. "And so now we can get some of those talented ladies to stay home and we want to build facilities to accommodate the field hockey program."

In the summer of 2022, BU President Harvey Stenger said the school was conducting studies on adding men's ice hockey and women's field hockey to the school's athletics. The school expects to put out a formal announcement for the two teams this Spring. 

Marshall credits former athletic director Pat Elliott and Stenger for the inclusion of ice hockey. 

"I can't take credit for that, that goes to Pat Elliott, former athletic director, a good friend of mine, and President Stenger for their vision," Marshall said. "Pat and I still talk quite a bit to this day about that and other things. And I think that Pat's, an old coach, and he has a good vision as to what needed to take place here. I think President Stenger knew the same, this is a hockey town. This is a field hockey town. And so I think that that is going to really send the fans in a frenzy. I think it's gonna, it's going to do very well, for the community."

This is a developing story. Stay with Fox 40 for the latest updates.