The University of Lethbridge has dropped their men’s and women’s university hockey teams due to budget cuts according to the Canadian Press on Monday. Known as the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns, the men’s hockey team had been in Canadian USports since 1984 and the women’s hockey team had been in Canadian USports since 1997.
The Pronghorns will forever be remembered for one magical season. In 1993-94, the University of Lethbridge won the University Cup. That year the Pronghorns had a record of 34 wins, 11 losses and three ties. With 71 points, they easily had the best record in the Canada West University Athletic Association as they had 13 more points than the University of Calgary Dinosaurs.
In the Canada West playoffs of 1994, the Pronghorns beat the University of Regina Cougars two games to one in the semifinals and then the Dinosaurs two games to one in the Canada West Finals. Then at the 1994 University Cup in Toronto, Ontario, the Pronghorns beat the University of Acadia Axemen 9-6 in the semifinal and then the University of Guelph Gryphons 5-2 in the championship final.
One name that will always be synonymous with the Pronghorns hockey program is former National Hockey League head coach Mike Babcock of Manitouwadge, Ontario. Babcock was with the Pronghorns in their magical 1994 season before going on to win two gold medals for Canada in men’s hockey at the Olympic Winter Games and a Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008.
