VŠE Sports Gala 2025 – A Celebration of Hockey and a Tribute to Ing. Ivan Hlinka

The Prague University of Economics and Business organized an unforgettable VŠE Sports Gala last week. This year’s main theme was hockey, attracting many distinguished guests and sports enthusiasts.

The evening was officially opened by Petr Dvořák, Rector of the Prague University of Economics and Business, who emphasized the importance of sports within the academic community in his opening speech. He also expressed gratitude to everyone involved in organizing the event and contributing to the development of university sports.

The most significant moment of the evening was the posthumous induction of hockey legend Ivan Hlinka into the VŠE Sports Hall of Fame. Hlinka became the second alumnus to receive this honor, following last year’s inductee, tennis player Jan Kodeš. The evening also featured a short documentary about Hlinka’s life and achievements, created specifically for the event by the VŠE Information Center.

The award was accepted by Liběna Hlinková, Ivan Hlinka’s wife, who attended the event with their daughter. Their presence was a great honor, and we sincerely thank them for accepting our invitation.

One of the evening’s speakers was Tomáš Hlaváč, a VŠE graduate and one of the founders and current executive director of the University Ice Hockey League (ULLH). Hlaváč introduced the structure, benefits, and successes of the American NCAA, which serves as an inspiration for the development of Czech university hockey. His goal is to bring proven methods from the U.S. to the Czech environment and support the growth of university hockey in the Czech Republic, a mission that the ULLH team has been successfully pursuing.

Another speaker, Marek Kosina, marketing manager of the newly established VŠE Falcons hockey team, thanked all the fans and supporters of university hockey at the Prague University of Economics and Business. He also congratulated the team on its recent quarterfinal victory against Engineers Prague (ČVUT).

Other speakers included Tomáš Pachl, director of the VŠE Center for Physical Education and Sport, and Tomáš Kálal, VŠE Alumni and a member of the well-known Žižkov Tigers.

The evening was hosted by Kristýna Svěcená and Pavel Kolesár, head of the VŠE Event Center, whose professional approach and witty remarks contributed to a pleasant atmosphere throughout the event.

The VŠE Sports Gala was not only a celebration of hockey but also a tribute to key figures who have significantly contributed to the development of sports at the Prague University of Economics and Business. We thank everyone involved in organizing and running this prestigious event and look forward to the next edition.