Mercyhurst University formally announced a discontinuation of its college hockey program on Friday. The school asked donors to financially support the since-disbanded team less than 48 hours prior.
It is a horrible look.
Even if the social media administrators were not aware of the imminent death to the college hockey program before they posted the video in request of donations, the university should’ve stepped in. And to make matters worse, the post is still active even though the team is not.
Mercyhurst will no longer compete in college hockey.
Mercyhurst University is a private Catholic school in Erie, Pennsylvania. Established almost 100 years ago, it enrolls approximately 2,600 students. The Lakers recently made the transition to Division I for most athletic programs. They joined the NEC, effective July 1, 2024.
The men’s hockey team was an outlier.
Men’s hockey started out as a club sport at Mercyhurst. It later moved its way up the ladder from D-III to D-II to D-I and joined the MAAC in 1999. The Lakers won their conference tournament three times and made the NCAA Tournament in 2001, 2003 and 2005. They have not been very good in recent years.
Mercyhurst has not had a winning record in men’s hockey since the 2017-18 season. It finished this past season at 6-28-3 overall and 5-18-3 in conference.
The program will not return for 2026-27.
The university announced a “series of academic program adjustments” and “the discontinuation of its Division I Men’s Ice Hockey program” on Friday. Both decisions reflect a “comprehensive strategy focused on long-term viability and alignment with student demand.” Whatever that means.
“The Division I Men’s Ice Hockey program will be discontinued following the conclusion of the current academic year. Mercyhurst will support all affected student-athletes by honoring athletics scholarships, providing academic advising, and assisting students who choose to pursue opportunities through the NCAA transfer portal.”
The club team and women’s team will still exist. Not the men’s team.
Give money to a team that very soon will not exist!
Here is where things get messy. Mercyhurst University held its annual ‘Giving Day’ on Wednesday.
Seize this day by making a gift to Mercyhurst University Athletics! As we continue our journey at the Division I level, your support plays a vital role in sustaining the growth, competitiveness, and overall experience of our student-athletes. Athletics at Mercyhurst is about more than competition, it’s about building leaders, fostering resilience, and creating opportunities for success both on and off the field.
Your gift directly impacts our teams by providing essential resources such as training, travel, equipment, and academic support. Just as importantly, it helps create a space where student-athletes can thrive, form lifelong connections, and represent Mercyhurst with pride. Every gift, no matter the size, strengthens our programs and ensures we can continue to compete at the highest level.
This Giving Day, you have the opportunity to make your impact personal. Donors can choose to support a specific team, program, or area within athletics that means the most to them. Whether your passion lies with a particular sport or in enhancing the overall student-athlete experience, your generosity helps shape the future of Mercyhurst Athletics!
— Mercyhurst University
In an effort to raise as much money as possible, the following post to the men’s ice hockey account went live on social media at 1:35 p.m. ET on March 25, 2026. It was a direct plea from head coach Tom Peffall for donations.
I obviously do not know the amount of people who donated to the Lakers because of this post or how many donors earmarked their money for the men’s ice hockey program specifically. It doesn’t matter.
Mercyhurst posted a video to ask for monetary donations on behalf of a team that was shuttered indefinitely (not even) two days later. That’s shameful.