Here is what I know—or think I know—about news-making Gophers coaches J Robinson and Don Lucia, and major changes coming in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
Sources tell Sports Headliners the University of Minnesota may make an announcement tomorrow regarding Robinson, the suspended head wrestling coach. The University has been investigating Robinson this summer over how he handled allegations his wrestlers used and sold the drug Xanax.
Speculation is Robinson, 69, will not be allowed to return for a 31st season as Gophers wrestling coach. A source reported Robinson and the University are trying to reach a financial settlement, but recently were far apart in determining a final compensation amount—more than $500,000.
In June both Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis declined to file charges that Gophers wrestlers used and sold the anti-anxiety drug, and that Robinson covered up the alleged activity. The University’s investigation of Robinson has been going on since at least May and he was placed on paid leave June 1.
Robinson is one of the legendary coaches in U history. He has coached the Gophers to three national championships, and has a long list of Big Ten team and individual champions, and All-Americans. He made the Gophers a regional and national power while also impacting the lives of his wrestlers and the thousands of youth attending his summer camps.
A former University employee talked about an encounter a few years ago with a stranger he met while travelling for the athletic department. “Saved my life,” the stranger said about Robinson. “I went to coach’s camp. He changed my attitude. He changed my approach to life. He saved my life—tell him that I owe him a lot.”
A former U.S. Army ranger who served in Vietnam, Robinson is known for his philosophies about life. His experiences have been shaped not only by the military and coaching but also his own successful amateur wrestling career when he won national championships. He is also regarded as one of America’s better Olympic wrestlers of the 20th century. …
Although an announcement has been anticipated for awhile, there has been nothing made public about Lucia and the University agreeing to a new contract. There were media reports last month of an alleged two-year extension providing the Gophers men’s hockey coach security through the 2019 season.
It could be that both sides, including legal representatives, are still finalizing paperwork for signatures. It’s not unusual for U athletic department contracts to move through a process taking months for finalization. The contracts are detailed—and key provisions and wording can require sorting out and consensus.
Lucia’s present deal with the Gophers ends next year. Without a contract extension, he is at a disadvantage in recruiting, with other schools able to tell prospects the Gophers don’t know who the coach will be in the fall of 2017 and beyond.
Lucia has been Minnesota’s head coach since 1999. In his early years at Minnesota he knew Mark Coyle who worked in marketing for the athletic department. Coyle, who became athletic director last spring, is regarded as supportive of Lucia.
The Gophers didn’t qualify for the NCAA Tournament last season but did win the Big Ten Conference championship. Minnesota has made program history by winning consecutive regular season league titles the last five years, with two championships in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and the last three in the Big Ten including 2016.
The move in 2013 to the six-team hockey startup Big Ten from the history-rich WCHA hasn’t been received well by many Gophers hockey fans. There’s been a lack of excitement about the program in recent years, with empty seats at Mariucci Arena characterizing some of the apathy. Fans who are critical of the program point to last season’s un-Gopher-like 20-17 overall record and no national championship since 2003.
Lucia, who had a young team last season, has coached Minnesota to national titles in 2002 and 2003. The Gophers’ all-time winningest coach, Lucia told Sports Headliners last March he planned to continue indefinitely at Minnesota: “Yeah, I would like to come back,” said Lucia who had head coaching jobs at Alaska Fairbanks and Colorado College before coming to Minnesota. “This is my 29th year as a head coach and I will be 58 this summer, but I still love what I do.”
Lucia turned 58 last Saturday. …
The innovative WCHA expects to make changes for next season involving overtimes, points awarded and its nets. Announcement about the changes for men’s regular season games is expected as soon as this week.
Sports Headliners has learned that next season games tied after regulation and the NCAA-mandated five-minute 5-on-5 overtime period will advance to a second five-minute overtime period of 3-on-3 play. If games are still tied, they will be settled in a sudden death shootout (each team receives a minimum of one shot).
A WCHA regular season game will be worth three points in the standings next season. Games decided in regulation and in 5-on-5 overtimes will award three points to the winning team (two points last season). Games decided in 3-on-3 overtimes and shootouts will award two points to the winning team and one to the losing.
WCHA arenas will use 40-inch goal frames on the nets for next season after using 44-inch frames in the past. The 40-inch model is consistent with that used by the National Hockey League. The WCHA’s intent with the change is to open space on the ice for skaters and make games more entertaining.
The WCHA, with league offices in Edina, starts its 65th year of competition next season. The 10-team Division 1 conference consists of schools ranging from Alaska to Alabama, and includes Bemidji State and Minnesota State. The men’s commissioner is Bill Robertson whose career experiences include leadership positions with the Minnesota Wild, Minnesota Timberwolves and Anaheim Angels.