TRURO – The season is over for the Dalhousie Tigers women’s hockey team.
The university suspended all of the team’s non-rookie players late last week after it had been determined members of the team had taken part in a hazing incident at a house party in September.
Truro native Miranda McMillan was a defenceman with the team. In October she was one of eight athletes from across the country to be named a Canadian Interuniversity Sport all-Canadian after helping her Tigers to last year’s AUS playoffs with 18 points in 24 regular season games. She also maintained a perfect 4.30 grade point average on her way to graduating with a degree in mathematics.
She was furthering her studies at the Halifax campus this year.
The team was set to play its home games at the REC Centre when it opens in the coming months.
“Dalhousie does not tolerate such behavior,” a statement on the team’s website says. “These actions do not embody the values that lie at the centre of athletics and student life. The university is committed to working with the team and athletic staff to take steps to ensure nothing like this happens again and to ensure the team is ready for the 2013-14 season.”
The suspended players will not face any academic penalties and will be allowed to try out for the team next fall.
First-year players were not suspended, but with only five on the roster the ruling left the team unable to finish out its schedule. Their 12 remaining games have been awarded as 1-0 victories to their opponents.
The ruling means the remaining six teams will make the conference playoffs. The Tigers (2-20-2) were sitting in the conference basement, six points behind the sixth-place Mount Allison Mounties (4-6-4).
The Tigers’ roster and statistics have been removed from its website.
