The Cadet Ice Arena, with a capacity of 2,502, is gaining a reputation as one of the nation's toughest places for an opponent to win.

Sitting at more than 7,000 feet above sea level, air is rare at the Air Force Academy. Meanwhile, the Falcons have won 62 percent of all games played in the arena. In 36 seasons, the Falcons have had just nine losing seasons. The team's record of 362-231-22 merely scratches the surface. The Falcons have defeated some of the nation's top teams at the Academy. Army, Colorado College, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Western Michigan, RIT, Brown, Alaska-Anchorage and Alaska-Fairbanks are just the beginning of the list to fall at the Cadet Ice Arena. In service academy competition, the true measure of any academy team, the Falcons are 8-4-2 against Army at the Cadet Ice Arena.

The Falcons' first season of varsity hockey was the 1968-69 season when the team posted a 5-7 record at home. Air Force then went on to eight straight winning seasons at home. The Falcons finished 17-1 at home in 1974-75 and 14-3 at home in 1976-77. The team set a school record by winning 13 straight home games from Nov. 11, 1974 to Jan. 13, 1975. After two straight home losing seasons, Frank Serratore brought more than just winning hockey back to the "CIA". In his first season, he led AFA to a 13-8 record. In his next three seasons, the Falcons won 66 percent of their home games. The team's home winning percentage of .722 in 1999-00 was the best in 10 years.

The ice arena got a facelift prior to the 2000-01 season. As part of the renovation that was completed in September 2000, the surface, the refrigeration system, the boards and the glass were all replaced.