Civil Rights Attorney Benjamin Crump announced a donation of $10,000 in support of Tennessee State's new hockey team, which is set to start competition in 2025. Ben Crump, widely recognized for his work in civil rights law, has represented families in high-profile cases such as those of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and George Floyd. He's also a requested HBCU speaker, addressing the graduates at Texas Southern University's commencement ceremonies in 2021 and Morgan State University's commencement in 2023.

Crump announced the donation on his Instagram page on Wednesday, posting:

“In 2019, ONLY 8 out of 1,114 NCAA men’s ice hockey players were Black.

In the NHL’s 102-year history, just 1 out of 377 head coaches has been Black.

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These stark numbers show why investing in Black athletes and coaches in hockey matters. I’m proud to support Coach Duanté Abercrombie and TSU’s historic first HBCU hockey team with a 10K donation! Join me in supporting this game-changing program. Donate to help @tsutigers_hockey reach its fundraising goal! @tennstateu”

Tennessee State revealed plans to launch a hockey team in the summer of 2023, outlining the full vision for the program later that year. During the 2025-2026 season, the team will play a “hybrid schedule,” facing both club teams and Division I opponents. By the 2026-2027 season, the goal is to transition to full Division I status.

The program took its first step by hiring Duante' Abercrombie as the inaugural head coach of the men's hockey team in April 2024. Before joining Tennessee State, Abercrombie was part of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs organization during the 2022-23 season. He worked with the Maple Leafs, their AHL affiliate (Toronto Marlies), and ECHL affiliate (Newfoundland Growlers), collaborating on video analysis, player development, practice preparation, and game-day readiness. Abercrombie, an HBCU alumnus, attended Hampton University.

Tennessee State has a 10-year plan to build an on-campus hockey arena. For now, the new program will compete at various rinks across Nashville during its inaugural season. The hockey program is part of Tennessee State Athletics' “Tiger Forward” plan, which aims to reshape TSU Athletics with bold goals and clear strategies, according to a statement from HBCU Pulse.