Kent State hockey was promoted to Division I status by the Board of Trustees on June 12, 1980, following ten years as a club sport.

After a 19-win campaign in his third season with the club John Wallin left to take over the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League in 1987.

[3] After Kent State alum Tom Viggiano headed the program for the 1987–88 season, Bill Switaj was brought in[4] once it was confirmed that the program would continue to exist beyond 1988 despite budgetary concerns.

[5] The program's entire season was cancelled that September in response to a hazing incident.

After three seasons they were eventually accepted into the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) but Kent State's program ended in the spring of 1994 when university president Carol Cartwright made a recommendation to the board of trustees that the program be discontinued.