In this mornings Boston Globe, Will McDonough reports that
the University of Maine's hockey program is headed for
probation, and the announcement could come by the end of
the month.
 
---
 
The Boston Globe
Monday, August 8, 1994
by Will McDonogh
 
... Speaking of college hockey, things have changed for the
University of Maine.  Just two years ago the Black Bears
were the toast of their sport and the greatest thing to
happen to the state of Maine since lobster.  But now word
has it that Maine's hockey program is headed for probation
and the hammer could drop sometime this month.
 
Sources close to the Maine hockey program say that inves-
tigators (a law firm hired by the NCAA to conduct the investi-
gation) have been on campus three times in the last six
months checking for possible infractions.
 
"We think it could be a year's probation," said the source,
"but not as bad as some people thought it was going to be.
It might be like what they did to the Ohio State basketball
program."
 
Ohio State was placed on one-year probation, but can play in
the postseason and appear on television.  Ohio State had one
scholarship taken away and has been curtailed in its recruiting
for certain periods during the year.  Ironically, both the
athletic director and compliance officer at Ohio State left
during this period.
 
Some who know college hockey well say the Maine hockey program
has been out of control in recent years.  In the last six
months, the athletic director and compliance officer have left
the program, and the feeling is they took the fall for what
has been going on in the hockey program under Shawn Walsh.
 
If and when the probation comes, the five-year clock will start
ticking against Maine, which means that any violation during
the next five years could be the death knell for the program.
 
--- End quoted material
 
The one thing that bothers me about Will's article is that
he doesn't quote one source by name.  The article is highly
speculative.  But we've all heard these same rumblings about
Maine's program, this is the first time I've seen them in print.
 
 
-kap