Randy May writes:
 
>CC's Jason Cugnet was informed that he has lost his scholarship to Colorado
>College this week...Coach Don Lucia explained to him he was not pleased with
>his work habits.(Cugnet reported to school 20 lbs overweight in each of the
>last 2 years). Any thoughts?
 
I must be out of touch.  Are the NCAA rules so lax now that a player can
lose his scholarship solely because he has lost favor with the coach?  I've
always assumed that if the individual remained in good academic standing
and attended tryouts, it would be very difficult to "cut" his scholarship,
as long as he wanted to stay.
 
I am not naive enough to think that guys would not leave after being
encouraged to do so but, if the guy doesn't take the hint, what can a coach
do?  I was always under the assumption that the coach was stuck.  Once the
guy's "on scholarship", that was it, unless he left.
 
Over the years this has happened at UNH a few times.  I recall one player
(nameless, of course) back in the '70's who came in with a big rep, was a
total bust, but because he tried out every year he was allowed to keep the
scholarship despite the fact that he never played after his sophomore year.
More recently, we have had guys flunk out, leave after disagreements or
lack of playing time.  But I have not heard of someone losing his
scholarship despite keeping up his grades and making the effort to make the
team.
 
Have times changed that much?  If they have, what separates NCAA hockey
from the ECHL?
 
Greg Ambrose
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.