Mercyhurst Drops Men's Hockey Program
- Paul Baker
- Apr 3
- 2 min read
Stadium Journey has been chronicling the ever-growing list of schools that have dropped athletic programs due to the increased financial demands associated with running Division One sports. Unfortunately, another team has joined the list. Last week, Mercyhurst University, a school with a total enrollment of 2,600 students located in Erie, Pennsylvania, announced it was dropping its men’s hockey program.
Athletic Director Joe Spano said the decision follows a month-long review of the university’s academic and athletic programs. The process began after University President Kathleen Getz notified staff that Mercyhurst was evaluating restructuring efforts to better align with student interests and workforce needs.
For many years, the hockey program was the school’s only Division One program, as the Lakers debuted at the sport's top level in 1999. Mercyhurst moved the rest of its athletic program to Division One in 2024. The men’s hockey team is the only one being eliminated in this cost-cutting move.
“These were thoughtful and consequential decisions,” University president Kathleen Getz said in a statement. “They reflect our responsibility to ensure Mercyhurst remains strong, responsive, and focused on providing students with the opportunities and experiences that will prepare them for success.”
“We took a really hard look at everything, and this is what made sense strategically—how it fit into the big picture and how we will be able to support it in the future,” Spano said.
Mercyhurst has had some success over its history in Division One, including three NCAA tournament appearances (2001, 2003, 2005), four regular season championships and three postseason conference championships between the MAAC and AHA.
However, the last decade has seen a dearth of success. The Lakers’ last title of any kind came in 2018. This was also their last season with a winning record. During the 2025-26 season, the Lakers finished 6-28-3, finishing last in the NPI out of all 63 D-1 teams. The team hasn’t won more than 10 games since 2023, and their average attendance of 721 ranked 64th out of the 67 Division One teams.
Rick Gotkin, who took over the program in its second year of existence in 1988-89 and was the coach ever since, recently announced his retirement after 37 years. Assistant coach Tom Peffal was set to take the reins.
“Our focus is on supporting every student-athlete through this transition,” Spano said. “We are committed to providing the resources, guidance, and individual support needed as they determine their next steps."
