Forgive me if this has been posted because of my mail trouble I
didn't receive any mail:
 
The NCAA Clearinghouse cleared highly touted Maine freshman
goaltender Alfie Michaud eligible.  I'm sure I speak for all Maine
when I let out a sigh of relief here.  It's always nice to hear good
news from the NCAA, and had Michaud not been eligible that would have
been a huge blow to the Bears.
 
DefensemenRobert Ek, paying his own way to school from Sweden, and
Shawn Mansoff were still awaiting responses today according to the
Bangor Daily News.  Both are frustrated.
 
"We're missing the conditioning the team is getting," Mansoff said.
"We skate on our own.  We've been doing dry-land training on our own.
 It's hard because the team is learning stuff we're missing.
 
Ek and Mansoff are part of a large freshman class for Maine, and were
recruited late in the summer to fill holes left by departing players.
 
"I check and talked to the compliance office every day, mostly I talk
to Greg [Cronin]," Ek said.  "It's very strange for me."
 
Needless to say Cronin isn't pleased.
 
"The clearinghouse was created to increase the speed and efficency of
clearing potential student athletes.  I think it's a joke." Cronin
told the BDN.
 
No word on when Ek and Mansoff might be cleared.  Since both are
foriegn, that is helping to contribute to the delay.
---
Deron Treadwell - [log in to unmask]
Editor, US College Hockey Online
USCHO:  http://www.uscollegehockey.com