SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) -- In early 2024, Augustana University opened the new crown jewel of campus, Midco Arena. The venue is home to the division one Augustana hockey team, and came with a price tag of more than $70 million, though its impact stretches far beyond the ice. It's a quiet morning at Midco Arena with a lone skater on the sheet of ice, a far cry from the scene that played out last January. "I'll never forget that first night of watching people when we finally opened the gates an hour before, on January 26th, to see the people rushing up to come see and the number of people that were taking pictures right here," Augustana Vice President of Athletics Josh Morton said. 12 months after the Augustana hockey team made its on-campus debut, Vice President of Athletics Josh Morton says the venue hasn't lost its appeal. "Some mornings, if I get here early, I'll just grab a cup of coffee and just walk around the concourse because we're so fortunate to have it," Morton said. "It's the front porch of our university. I think when you drive up to 33rd & Grange, you certainly know you've arrived at Augustana University," Augustana Hockey Head Coach Garrett Raboin said. Garrett Raboin was hired as the head hockey coach at Augustana in April 2022, about the same time construction began at Midco Arena. "To see this space go from gravel to now this building that we live in every day, and then to see our guys and community-at-large enjoy it, it's been pretty special," Raboin said. When it comes to recruiting players, Raboin says showing off the finished product beats the days of driving around with tag board in the trunk of his car. "It really helps expedite the process and enhance, I think, the belief process in recruiting. These kids, it's one thing to talk about it, but once they're able to come here and walk through it, it really changes things in our favor," Raboin said. The program is only in its second year, but Raboin says members of the community have wrapped their arms around Division I hockey. "The environment, the atmosphere, and probably my favorite part is the students, how they get to enjoy celebrating their classmates and really a sense of pride for the university," Raboin said. Morton says he still drives by at night to see the building lit up, calling it a beacon to the campus and all of Sioux Falls. "It's a community asset as well, to see this from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. some nights, the ice is being used by somebody, whether it's a youth hockey organization or men's league or club sports, that's really, really special," Morton said. The arena was used as a practice facility by the USHL's Stampede last fall, following a mechanical failure at the Scheels IcePlex. UPDATE: No explosives found at prison scene And once you step off the ice, the building has even more to offer. "The GreatLIFE Strength & Conditioning Center to me is symbolic of this whole thing because it's so much more than just one sport, it's about our whole department, 560 athletes that have access to it," Morton said. At the heart of Midco Arena is the Augustana hockey program, but it's also home to the women's soccer team. "They went from having nothing to having the best division II soccer facility in the country," Morton said. "To literally have nothing to have this is just really, it's been great for recruiting when potential athletes come in and see what we have here. It's been very, very, very positive," Augustana Women's Soccer Coach Brandon Barkus said. The team now has a locker room and shower facilities, offices, kitchen, and lounge. Brandon Barkus is the soccer coach at Augie, and says the space allows players to prepare for games, study, or even share a meal together. "You can start to see the transformation of our team a little bit from a cultural standpoint, how the athletes come together, and how they get fired up before games, how we have kind of a common space, a safe space for the athletes to get together," Barkus said. Barkus believes the building as a whole is Augustana's investment in the future. "As an institution, we want to continue to thrive in the future and building facilities like this that draw the attention of not just Sioux Falls, South Dakota, but regionally and on more of a national stage, I think is huge," Barkus said. The play of the hockey team has only helped the cause. "The most important thing we did was hire a great head coach. Coach Raboin has built something really quickly, built a culture where we expect to win," Morton said. The Vikings are playoff-eligible and could host CCHA tournament games in March. "That's huge. I can't imagine hosting playoff games, conference playoff games, in this building in year two of our program but we have a real chance to do it," Morton said. "One day hopefully they're excited for it and relish those opportunities and it's a regular thing," Raboin said. As for the immediate future, Raboin's just going to enjoy the ride. "It's been fun to live in the moments, we're just getting started still, but there's an excitement for the future," Raboin said. The Augustana hockey team continues its push toward the playoffs this weekend at Bowling Green. The Vikings return to Midco Arena on January 31st and February 1st for a weekend series against Lake Superior State.