Don Lucia Speaks to the Athletic

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https://theathletic.com/278283/2018...ve-gophers-hockey-ncaa-tournament-mark-coyle/


“I’ve thought about (missing the NCAAs) from the standpoint it’s just a tough way to end the season,” Lucia told The Athletic in a Sunday phone conversation. “I think Mark (Coyle) and I have had a lot of good dialogue the last couple years, and I think we’re both on the same plan.”

The plan wasn’t something Lucia wanted to share as he hasn’t met or talked with Minnesota’s athletic director since Saturday’s fallout, but he sounded resigned to the possibility this was his last season. Coyle is in Eugene, Oregon, this weekend watching the Gophers women’s basketball the play in the NCAA Tournament...

...Coyle told The Athletic in December that the conference titles are awesome, but success in March and April were what he wanted to see, and now the Gophers season has ended without a chance to play for a spot in the Frozen Four. If Coyle decides to move on to a new head hockey coach, there is a provision in the contract to terminate without just cause where Lucia gets half of the $375,000 in base pay and $255,000 in supplemental compensation due to him in 2018-19, a total of $315,000.

“I’ve always said I’m not going to be doing this forever. I’m getting to the point, you do it year by year,” Lucia said. “You enjoy it. You enjoy the players. I’ve enjoyed our group, and I feel bad for our group that they don’t get to experience playing in the NCAA this year — it’s hard, it’s really hard.”...


...As the results started to break the wrong way, Lucia didn’t even have the games on as he opted to watch the basketball tournament instead.

“I got to the point where, even the day before, it’s like I didn’t want to watch. I was watching basketball. I don’t need the agony and the misery,” Lucia said.
 





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