From an article by John Gilbert in the Star Tribune this morning:
 
NORTH DAKOTA EXPECTED TO FIRE GASPARINI TODAY
 
The University of North Dakota athletic department has called a news
conference for today in Grand Forks, N.D., where it is expected to be
announced that John (Gino) Gasparini will no longer be hockey coach.
 
It is expected that athletic director Terry Wanless will announce that
Gasparini has resigned, although sources close to the program say he was
pressured to leave.
 
Gasparini has a 392-244-24 record at North Dakota. The Sioux were 11-17-4 this
past season and lost to Wisconsin in the WCHA playoffs.
 
Gasparini played at North Dakota and was an assistant coach before taking the
head coaching job 16 years ago. Under Gasparinin's fiery direction, the Sioux
moved up to national prominence and stayed there. Gasparini's teams won four
WCHA championships and were runners-up twice. The Sioux won three NCAA titles
and finished second once for Gasparini.
 
The move makes North Dakota the second WCHA team to remove its coach since the
season ended. Denver athletic director Jack McDonald, who fired Frank
Serratore three weeks ago, is interviewing coaching candidates for the
Pioneers vacancy. McDonald visited with Minnesota assistant Mark Mazzoleni,
St. John's head coach John Harrington and Minnesot-Duluth assistant Glenn
Kulyk on Thursday in the Twin Cities. Northern Michigan coach Rick Comley and
Miami of Ohio coach George Gwozdecky are the leading contenders. <end quoted
material>
 
Hopefully Justin Doherty can update us on the North Dakota situation before
the press here does...  The WCHA won't be the same without Gino around. It was
always fun to play North Dakota with Gino at the helm. :-(
 
-Carol
 
Carol S. White                            BITNET: c-whit@uminn1
University of Minnesota        internet:[log in to unmask]
Office of the Registrar
(612) 625-8517                                    GO Gophers!!!