By Tom and Jerry Caraccioli
In 2012-13, after a $2 million investment and renovation, Romney Fieldhouse went from the former home of the venerable Oswego State Lakers Hockey program to a practice facility enjoyed by men’s and women’s sports teams in tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field, lacrosse, baseball, softball, field hockey and soccer.
The former Romney Fieldhouse, home of the Lakers men’s hockey program from the start in 1964 (and later the women’s ice hockey program in the 1970s), was a viciously cold, tight-spaced venue that saw students so close to the action they could hang over the chain link fence (later glass) and touch the players.
Romney’s intimidating reputation as a “tough place to play” helped the Lakers establish a reputation that continues to hold true today as a premier Division III program and perennial national contender.
Current Oswego Lakers Men’s Hockey head coach Ed Gosek remembers his days as a player and coach in the “old” Romney.
“Playing and coaching in Romney as a member of the home team was a unique experience,” Gosek said. “I can’t imagine what it must have been like as a visitor, seeing all those students hanging over the chain link fences throwing things and yelling at them. The visiting players would whack their sticks at the fence. It was a crazy atmosphere and one of the best in college hockey.”
The unique facility, a former airplane hangar constructed during World War II in 1942, was bought in a government auction by Oswego State chair of department of health, physical education and athletics, Gardner “Tully” Wells. Wells and others were in the process of starting a hockey program and needed a place to play. The former hangar was reconstructed on campus and named after former Oswego Director of Athletics Golden Romney.
The beginning of the hockey program, and success it experienced in the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, ultimately led to the construction of the Marano Campus Center, where the men’s and women’s ice hockey programs continue to thrive and keep the tradition of success alive.
Last year the men’s team won the 2025 SUNYAC Conference tournament and earned a trip to the NCAA Men’s Division III Hockey Tournament, while the women were the 2024-25 SUNYAC Conference regular season champions, and runners up in the SUNYAC tournament, just missing a trip to the Women’s NCAA Tournament.
As for Golden Romney Fieldhouse? Today, after the renovation, it is home to the men’s and women’s tennis teams, who practice and play year-round on the four synthetic grass courts. The teams practicing and playing in this historic venue also strive to keep Oswego’s athletic programs a formidable threat for future championship seasons.
“We had historic seasons for the men’s and women’s tennis teams,” Tennis Head Coach Tyler Glowaki said. “Both team’s experienced record-breaking seasons. The men’s team won the Empire 8 Conference and earned its first-ever invitation to the NCAA Men’s Division III Tennis Championships. The women’s team, after being picked to finish near the bottom of the SUNYAC Conference in preseason polls, finished second.”
Glowaki continued to gush about the good fortune of having an indoor facility, especially when the campus is covered with feet of snow. “There are days and nights when we’re practicing and the snow is coming down, it’s pitch black and we’re able to practice in Romney and get in really high-quality sessions. There are a few places in Division III that have indoor facilities, but not many. Having a facility like Romney, and having it so close to campus, is very big when it comes to attracting players that are serious about playing tennis and want to train all year like we do.”
Tom and Jerry Caraccioli are freelance writers originally from Oswego, who have co-authored three books: “STRIKING SILVER: The Untold Story of America’s Forgotten Hockey Team,” “BOYCOTT: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” and “Ice Breakers.”
