Mercyhurst drops its struggling Division I men's hockey program as part of its master plan

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ERIE, Pa. (AP) — Mercyhurst will drop its Division I men's hockey program at the end of the academic year as part of a university-wide master plan, the 2,600-student private school announced Friday.

The Lakers finished 6-28-3 this season and were last in Atlantic Hockey for the second straight year. They haven't won 10 games in a season since 2022-23, and average attendance of 721 per game ranked 64th out of 67 teams.

“As the university prepares for its Centennial academic year, these decisions are part of an ongoing effort to position Mercyhurst for the next 100 years by aligning academic and athletics offerings with evolving student interests and workforce needs,” the school said in a statement.

Mercyhurst will continue to sponsor its Division I women's hockey program and its men's club hockey team.

Men's hockey started as a Division III program in 1988 and moved to Division I in 1999. The Lakers appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2001, 2003 and 2005.

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