Wayne State University Drops Women's Hockey
DETROIT (WWJ) - After spending 12 seasons as the only Division One women's college hockey program in the state, Wayne State University is dropping the program. The school says it's due to cuts in state higher education funding.
Assistant team captain, senior Ciara Lee, is among those scrambling to figure out next year's plans.
"I came here to play hockey, but I fell in love with so many other things -- the city, the community, my whole life is here, and I absolutely love it. So, I'm having a hard time right now trying to picture myself being anywhere else. But, at the same time, I love hockey so much and I wanna play," Lee said.
Since WSU disbanded the team without warning, Lee said she and her teammates didn't get a chance to say goodbye.
"That's probably one of the hardest things, to think that we played our last game and didn't even know it. It was the last time we worked out together, and had no idea. It was the last time we were as a team together, and you had no idea, and all that's taken away," Lee said.
Team captain, senior Alyssa Baldin, said she wanted to finish her career in a Warriors jersey because of the team's hard work on, and off, the ice.
"As a team, we've done so many community service hours. We've totaled approximately 2,500 hours in the past two years. And our team GPA has increased and is now one of the highest of all the teams at Wayne State. So, to me, those aren't the qualities of a team that deserves to be cut," Baldwin said.
Wayne State dropped its men's hockey program in 2008. A Facebook campaign to save the women's team is underway. Visit this link.
