St. Olaf to Drop Hockey After 1999

St. Olaf College, a Division III institution and a member of the MIAC, has announced its intention to drop men’s hockey from varsity status as part of an overall cost-cutting measure effective after the 1998-99 season.

Said head coach Sean Goldsworthy in Tuesday’s Minneapolis Star Tribune, “My first obligation is to the kids on the hockey team, and I’ve told them to be patient … I’ve tried to stay positive and upbeat, because I’m not convinced anything is finalized yet.”

Along with hockey, wrestling would be reduced to a club team under the proposal, and the position of sports information director would be eliminated. Several nonathletic programs have been targeted as well.