Division I hockey currently has 60 men's teams and 35 women's teams.
Illinois isn't among those schools, but a new feasibility study released on Thursday indicates growing enthusiasm for the sport's potential addition to Illinois.
But the Illinois athletic department isn't prepared yet to add hockey as a varsity sport at Illinois.
"This will only happen if the DIA can successfully fund the program and receive needed support from various campus and community stakeholders," the department said in a release.
The feasibility study, conducted by Collegiate Consulting and commissioned by the NHL, the National Hockey League Players Association and College Hockey, Inc.