The facility cost approximately $120,000 to construct[1] and the team would use the Smith Rink as its home for the next 55 years.

In the 1960s, as a member of ECAC Hockey, Army remained in the upper division when the conference was split in two despite not having an indoor arena, one of the league requirements for being considered a major program.

In 1973, however, the NCAA introduced numerical classifications for all sports and as a result Army dropped down to ECAC 2 for the remainder of the decade.

In 1980 Army returned to Division I, but played a partial Division II schedule until 1985 when the indoor Tate Rink was completed and Army could again compete on equal footing with their contemporaries.

The Smith Rink was demolished less than one year after the team played its last game and the space is now occupied by the Herbert Alumni Center.