I am a senior at Northeastern University and to think my last year will
be the end of women's ice hockey, a tradition at NU, is ridiculous.  NU's
athletic deptartment has no idea about the growth of women's hockey and
has made this decision purely based on the growth of women's soccer and
softball.  NU doesn't even have the facilities to host such teams.  Our
men's soccer team has to travel to New Hampshire to play some home games
because Parsons feild is over crowded.  Where are they going to put womens
soccer and softball?
 
        What good competitive athletes are going to play at the Divison 1
level for a school that just turned a Division 1 top three very
succussful sport into a club sport based on the supposed facts that it
wasn't popular, but yet it's going to be a Gold Metal sport in the 1998
Olympics.  Why come to NU when they can go to a known top 10 softball
school where the program has been successful and there are no worries of
being cut from the school.  The New England area is known for hockey,
Division 1 softball players are going to go down South to play ball year
round.
 
        Why would NU stop such a successful program from which some players
go on to a National level?  The womens ice hockey team is in uproar over
this decision and we need all the help we can in fighting it.  If you
have any information, facts, or figures please send it to NU's athletic
deptartment in protest.
 
        There was 1.5 Million dollars donated to Matthews arena to be
renovated for the men's and women's ice hockey teams.  The arena has a 200
by 90 foot ice surface and new locker rooms but it will never host a
women's sporting event.
 
        Please help!!!!!!!!!!!
 
                        Michelle Werner
 
 
[Please write your support to:]
 
Heather Linstad                                 Barry Gallup
NU Women's Ice Hockey Coach                     NU Athletic Director
Matthews Arena Annex                            219 Cabot Gym
238 St. Botolph St.                             200 Huntington Ave.
Boston, MA  02115                               Boston, MA 02115
 
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