Students pack Social Stairs for Frozen Four watch party

Memorial Union centerpiece brings students together to share in the highs and lows of UND hockey on the national stage

The Memorial Union Social Stairs became the center of campus Thursday afternoon as UND students gathered shoulder to shoulder to watch the University play in the NCAA Frozen Four for the first time since 2016.

With tiered seating, an open layout and space to gather between classes, the Social Stairs provided a natural setting for students to drop in, stay and experience the game together, turning a campus common area into a shared arena.

The watch party itself is part of a long-standing UND tradition.

“Every time we’ve made it to the Frozen Four, we’ve held something on campus for those who aren’t able to travel,” said Cassie Gerhardt, senior associate vice president for Student Affairs. “It’s become something we do.”

This year, organizers chose the Social Stairs for its central location and ability to bring students together. With capacity for more than 100 people and standing room beyond that, the goal was simple: fill the space.

“We hope to be packed in there,” Gerhardt said.

And that they did, as people filled the couches surrounding the top level of the stairs, and brought out extra chairs to sit at the top of the Stairs.

Students filtered in throughout the afternoon before the puck dropped. Food was readily available (with Gerhardt, among others, handing out cookies during commercial breaks), but the focus remained on the experience itself.

“I think there’s an excitement that comes with watching it with other fans,” Gerhardt said.

That shared energy played out in real time as UND faced the Wisconsin Badgers in a tightly contested game that ultimately ended in a 2-1 loss.

The groans arose when UND missed scoring chances, took penalties of its own or failed to capitalize on a 5-on-3 power play opportunity. But the crowd roared during key moments — particularly when Wisconsin took penalties or when freshman goaltender Jan Špunar of Czechia made crucial saves for UND — and built to the loudest cheers of the afternoon when Ellis Rickwood scored UND’s lone goal, with 52 seconds remaining in the third period.

“You can feel it among the student body,” said Raya Rood, a sophomore from Bismarck. “UND is known as a hockey school, and to be able to make it to a Frozen Four and have an experience like this — you can just feel how excited people are.”

Across campus, students embraced the moment in the days leading up to the game.

“People have been talking about it all week,” Rood said. “You wear green, and you can just feel the excitement.”

Gerhardt said that excitement carried into the space itself.

“There are jerseys everywhere, lots of green on campus, and students lining up early,” she said.

For many, the Social Stairs offered more than just a place to watch — it created a shared experience.

Henry Liberty, a sophomore Marketing major from Stillwater, Minn., has followed the team closely all season, even traveling to Sioux Falls to watch UND clinch its Frozen Four berth.

“It was a momentous experience,” Liberty said. “I’ve never felt that at a college before. You realize UND is nationwide. People know who we are.”

Liberty described the atmosphere as “electric,” driven by the crowd around him.

“You feel like you’re part of a culture; a fun hockey culture,” he said.

Others came simply for the convenience — and stayed for the environment.

Sarah Bruschwein, a transfer student from Bismarck State College, said she initially planned to watch the game on her own but decided to stop by.

“I live in Swanson, so it was easier to come here,” she said. “I was going to watch it on my own TV.”

As the game unfolded, the crowd moved together through every shift in momentum — even when UND fell behind early.

“I think they’ll pull it together,” said Aiden Zerr, a Mechanical Engineering student. “You’ve got to believe. There’s a lot of game left.”

Moments like the Frozen Four run strengthen students’ connection to the University, other attendees said.

“When you’re part of something that has success, it makes you feel proud,” Rood said. “You can represent UND anywhere.”

Liberty agreed: “You really think, ‘This is why I love going to this school.’”

By the end of the game, the impact of gathering in one place was clear — not just in cheers, but in the reactions across the crowd.

“You could see the emotions on people’s faces,” said Eugene Assuah-Damoah, a Civil Engineering graduate student.