Wolverines Lose Third Blueliner

The Michigan Wolverines will be short another defender for at least part of the 1999-2000 season after rookie Matt Bannon was declared academically ineligible by the NCAA.

The ruling came one day after junior-to-be Mike Van Ryn announced his plans to leave Michigan for the Canadian national team. The Wolverines also lost blueliner Scott Crawford, who told head coach Red Berenson during the offseason that he would be transferring to another Division I school.

The NCAA cited Bannon’s poor grade-point average during his senior year as the reason for his ineligibility. Bannon may be eligible to play at the start of Michigan’s winter term.

Quoted in the Michigan Daily, Berenson said that although the Wolverines are down to six defensemen, “We’ve got size, character and toughness.”