First Night Honors

When the Ontario Reign opened its 2014-15 season against the visiting Idaho Steelheads on Saturday, Oct. 25, it provided a night of memorable celebration at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario for all those who support the Reign, the University of La Verne and professional ice hockey in Southern California.

For the 8,869 Reign fans in attendance, their team’s seventh season officially started with the ceremonial raising of Ontario’s fourth ECHL Pacific Division banner during pregame ceremonies. Throughout the evening, University of La Verne employees, students and alumni took part in a variety of events to mark the sixth consecutive year La Verne and the Reign have partnered to benefit the university’s scholarship fund.

For good measure, it was also Affiliate Night as Ontario commemorated the Los Angeles Kings for winning the 2014 Stanley Cup. All Reign players wore specially designed jerseys honoring the Kings and their championship season. Those jerseys, which also featured the University of La Verne logo, were auctioned off immediately after the game, with the proceeds going to benefit student scholarships.

Thanks to the evening’s total exceeding $31,000, the six-year Reign/La Verne partnership has now contributed more than $141,000 to the university’s scholarship fund.

La Verne sophomore music major Katie Ochoa got the night off to a rousing start with her rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner. Soon after Doug Waite, La Verne’s associate director of capital planning, took the ice to participate in the ceremonial puck drop.

“For a longtime hockey fan such as myself, dropping the puck at a game was an incredible experience,” said Waite. “It will remain in my memory as one of my favorite hockey and life experiences. I was truly honored to represent La Verne at the game.”

During the first intermission, Marek and Natasha Lym rode the Zambonis; they are the children of Master Sergeant Garland Lym, who is studying to earn a La Verne degree while being posted at Vandenberg Air Force Base.

“We are a hockey family,” Lym said. “As I will be deploying overseas for all of next year, away from my family, this was a nice event to share with my kids.”

Founded in 1891, La Verne is a comprehensive, independent university offering distinctive and relevant educational experiences to a diverse population of traditional-age, adult and graduate learners, preparing them for successful careers and a commitment to lifelong learning across the liberal arts and professional programs. It is rated by both Forbes and U.S. News & World Report magazines as one of America’s Best Colleges, and its Online Undergraduate Programs were recently ranked No. 1 in California by U.S. News & World Report. Washington Monthly has also ranked La Verne No. 1 among California private schools in its “Best Bang for the Buck” National Universities ratings.

At a time when the cost of higher education is a subject of national conversation, La Verne is committed to keep the attainment of a college degree accessible and affordable. More than 90 percent of its undergraduates receive some form of financial assistance, with the university providing $43 million in institutional aid this year alone.

The Ontario Reign is a primary affiliate of the L.A. Kings and a secondary affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets. Since its opening season in 2008, the Reign organization has taken an active role within the community, partnering with numerous charitable and non-profit organizations.