Dajon Mingo has regained his academic eligibility for the Bowling Green Falcon hockey team, head coach
Chris Bergeron said.
The red-shirt junior was academically ineligible for the second half of last season.
"He had a great second semester academically and he’s taking some classes this summer to solidify
his eligibility," Bergeron said. "He’s still a work in progress, but we’re confident he’s
taking the right steps.
"It’s not that he’s not capable. He’s capable and we’re confident he knows he has to take the right
path and make the right choices."
Mingo’s eligibility was his third problem academically since coming to BG.
He sat out his freshman season after failing to meet NCAA academic requirements, and missed BG’s
exhibition and first two games last season because of an academic suspension.
When asked if Mingo would be dismissed from the team for any further academic problems, Bergeron said:
"I don’t want to focus on that, but he knows there are consequences for his actions."
Mingo will be a full-time defenseman for BG this season after splitting time between forward and defense
last season.
His excellent skating and skills will provide a much-needed offensive boost to the BG defense corps.
Mingo has 11 goals and 22 assists in 58 career games.
FREIBERGS: Bergeron had no new information on BG junior defenseman Ralfs Freibergs, who was provisionally
suspended by the International Ice Hockey Federation in April.
Freibergs was suspended for testing positive for a banned substance during the Olympics in February. He
played for Latvia in the Olympics.
The provisional suspension prevented Freibergs from playing in last month’s World Championships.
Freibergs could face a longer suspension once the IIHF completes a review of the case. It isn’t known if
the NCAA will enforce an IIHF suspension.
Vitalijs Pavlovs, Freibergs’ Latvian teammate, was suspended 18 months by the IIHF for a failed drug test
during the Olympics.
Freibergs will attend the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers’ prospects camp in July.
HEALTHY: Falcon forward Brent Tate is healthy after missing the final six games last season because of a
back injury, Bergeron said.
Tate, who skates on one of BG’s top three lines, is one of the team’s most important players because of
his skill and physical presence.
But his physical play makes him susceptible to injuries.
"His off-ice training is very important because of the way he plays," Bergeron said. "We
need him to be in as good a shape as possible. He was as healthy as he could be at the start of last
season and we expect the same again this season."
Tate had 10 goals and nine assists in 19 games last season.
COOP: BG junior forward Mark Cooper, who has 27 goals and 17 assists in 77 games, will attend the Detroit
Red Wings’ prospects camp later this summer.
WORKOUTS: Bergeron is pleased with the team’s conditioning and strength workouts since the end of the
season in March. The players are working out here in BG or are working out at home.
"There are expectations and accountability, and guys are being held accountable to that,"
Bergeron said. "The accountability is if they don’t do the workouts and don’t come back in good
shape, they’re not going to play. Someone else is going to take their spot."