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 HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.