Todd Woodcroft has been fired as the University of Vermont men’s hockey coach for “inappropriate messages” to students
Todd Woodcroft has been fired as the University of Vermont men’s hockey coach for “inappropriate messages” to students
- Todd Woodcroft, 50, was suspended after an investigation found he sent inappropriate messages to a Vermont student “several times”
- A lawyer for the coach, who previously worked for several NHL and national teams, now accuses the university of acting “contrary to the facts”
- The complaint was filed with the university in March and he was fired on Tuesday
The University of Vermont has fired the head coach of the men’s hockey team after an investigation found he sent “inappropriate text messages” to a student.
Todd Woodcroft, 50, was fired on Tuesday after an investigation found his conduct ‘failed to maintain professional boundaries’.
Details of the messages were not immediately clear, but a Woodcroft lawyer said the university’s decision was “contrary to the facts and the law.”
Lawyers for the coach, who has also worked for NHL and national teams, said they plan to “pursue justice” for him.
It’s unclear if the victim was a member of the men’s hockey team – and even if it’s a man or a woman.
Woodcroft was appointed head coach in April 2020 by athletics director Jeff Schulman.
Shulman said on Tuesday it was “obvious” that Woodcroft had “failed” to live up to the athletic department’s “high expectations for the conduct of our coaches.”
Todd Woodcroft, pictured, has been suspended as the University of Vermont men’s hockey coach over allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a student
Lawyers for the coach, who has also worked for NHL and national teams, said they plan to “pursue justice” for him
“The specific behavior that led to the investigation involved multiple inappropriate text messages with a UVM student who did not respect professional boundaries,” Shulman said.
On March 16, a complaint was filed against the coach. He was not sent on leave but asked to work from home during the investigation.
That said a spokesman The athletic: ‘[Woodcroft] were asked not to have contact with the persons who made the report or participated as witnesses in the investigation and to work from home until the case is resolved.
“He has honored these requests with no problem.”
According to The Athletic, Woodcroft denied that he was still under investigation on July 7.
Details of the messages were not immediately clear, but a Woodcroft lawyer said the university’s decision was “contrary to the facts and the law”
Woodcroft has been pictured on the ice at a recent game. He has also coached for the NHL and Team Canada
His attorney, Andrew Miltenberg, said in a statement Tuesday night: “We strongly disagree with the trial and the findings of a proceeding that lacked basic fairness and due process.
‘We are convinced that the university’s decision was contrary to the facts and the law. We intend to pursue justice for Mr. Woodcroft, who has been an outstanding coach and community advocate for more than two decades.”
Woodcroft, who is Canadian, has spent time as a coach and scout for teams such as the Los Angeles Kings, the Calgary Flames and Winnipeg Jets.
He has also coached for Team Canada and the Belarus and Switzerland men’s national teams.
His older brother, Craig Woodcroft, is the head coach of HC Dianmo Minsk, a Belarusian team in the Kontinental Hockey League.