>>> COVID-19 HAS HALTED THE 
SPORTS WORLD, POSTPONING AND
CANCELLING SEASONS NEARLY 
EVERYWHERE, BUT TODAY IN THE
WCHA, THINGS TOOK A TURN FOR THE
WORSE AS THE UNIVERSITY OF
ALABAMA HUNTSVILLE ANNOUNCED 
THAT IT'S DISCONTINUING ITS MENS
HOCKEY PROGRAM EFFECTIVE 
IMMEDIATELY.
IN AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE 
SCHOOL, IT WAS CITED THAT THERE
WERE ENORMOUS CHALLENGES CREATED
BY THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.
THE CHARGERS WERE SET TO PLAY 
THEIR FINAL SEASON IN THE
WCHA IN 2020 AND 2021, BUT THE 
NEWS TODAY CAUGHT EVERYONE IN
THE CONFERENCE OFF GUARD.
>> I WAS SHOCKED.
I DIDN'T SEE IT COMING.
I WAS BLINDSIDED.
I TALKED TO MIKE CORBETT AS WELL
THIS AFTERNOON, THE COACH OF 
ALABAMA HUNTSVILLE.
HE WAS BLINDSIDED BY IT.
SO NO, WE'RE IN TOUGH TIMES 
RIGHT NOW, AND I'M SURE IT WAS A
TOUGH DECISION FOR THEIR 
ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT.
YOU FEEL SO BAD FOR EVERYBODY 
WHO IS PART OF IT.
I MEAN THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE 
WHO ARE AFFECTED BY THIS, AND 
NO, IT IS JUST -- YOU KNOW, IT'S
A TOUGH DAY.
>> THE BEMIDJI STATE AND ALABAMA
HUNTSVILLE HOCKEY PROGRAMS
HAVE HAD A STORIED RIVALRY OVER 
THE YEARS.
BACK IN THE 90S, THE BEAVERS AND
CHARGERS WENT UP AGAINST EACH 
OTHER IN THE D2 FINALS FOR FOUR 
OUT OF FIVE YEARS.
>> WE HAD A WONDERFUL RIVALRY 
WITH ALABAMA.
WHAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED IN THE 
90s, THERE WERE BATTLES BACK AND
FORTH, NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 
GAMES BACK AND FORTH.
IT WAS AN EXCITING TIME.
THAT CARRIED OVER OBVIOUSLY INTO
DIVISION 1 AND INTO THE CHA FOR 
MANY YEARS.
AND OF COURSE NOW THE WCHA.
IT WAS AN EXCITING RIVALRY.
NO IT'S A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW,
THAT'S FOR SURE.
>> IN ADDITION TO THE MEN'S 
HOCKEY PROGRAM BEING 
DISCONTINUED, EFFECTIVE 
IMMEDIATELY, THE UNIVERSITY OF 
ALABAMA HUNTSVILLE ALSO
CUT ITS MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TENNIS
PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS BUDGET
CONCERNS CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC.
THE CHARGERS MEN'S HOCKEY 
PROGRAM HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 35
YEARS, FIRST STARTING IN THE 
85-86 SEASON.
THE LAST TIME A DIVISION 1 MEN'S
HOCKEY TEAM FOLDED WAS
