Marty Westhaver has a new lease on his hockey life.
One week after being told the NCAA Div. 1 school the graduating Victoria Grizzlies captain had earned a scholarship to this fall was folding its men鈥檚 hockey program in a cost-cutting measure, news came down Friday that the University of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers had been given a reprieve thanks to cash donations from alumni and supporters of the program.
鈥淭his is exciting news,鈥� said Westhaver, who finished his fourth season with the Grizzlies in March following a first-round playoff exit.
Westhaver thought his dream of playing NCAA Div. 1 hockey had ended when it was announced the school was discontinuing its hockey program due to the pandemic.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a whirlwind week,鈥� said Westhaver.
鈥淭his is a relief.鈥�
Alabama-Huntsville athletic director Cade Smith said Friday that 鈥渘umerous individual donors鈥� had combined to raise more than $500,000 US this week to help save the program from the chopping block.
Two other gifts of $125,000 US each from longtime supporters Taso Sofikitis and Sheldon Wolitski provided enough money to allow the Chargers to continue competing at the Div. 1 level for the 2020-21 season.
The $750,000 marks the largest athletic campaign contribution in UAH history.
University president Darren Dawson committed university money to cover the balance of the hockey team鈥檚 operations during the upcoming season. Dawson says a new Hockey Advisory Board will work with supporters of the program and the university to fund hockey after next season.
鈥� With files from the Associated Press
