BOWLING GREEN — Michigan Tech’s Austen Swankler, who starred for Bowling Green State University’s hockey team before entering the transfer portal less than a month before the 2023-24 season, will not play in this weekend’s series between the two teams at Slater Family Ice Arena in Bowling Green.
Swankler has missed the past two games with an injury and will be unavailable, according to Michigan Tech assistant athletic director of media relations Calvin Larson.
He added Swankler will not make the trip with the team.
On Sept. 18, Swankler entered the transfer portal hours before news broke that three BGSU hockey players were placed on interim suspension and head coach Ty Eigner on administrative leave in response to a report of alleged hazing at an off-campus event known as “Rookie Day” involving student athletes on the team.
The Bowling Green Police Department determined in mid-November no charges were warranted for players or staff from the hockey program stemming from the investigation into the alleged hazing.
The police report stated Swankler reported the incident to the BGSU Dean of Students and his intentions were only to get the hazing to stop, and he did not wish for anyone to be fired or charged criminally. The BGSU hockey players who were interviewed by Sgt. Scott Frank mentioned they believed the report was made by Swankler out of anger, and he “wanted to retaliate” against the team after coaches were going to punish him for stealing from the equipment room.
Swankler has appeared in 11 games since transferring to Michigan Tech and has three assists and zero goals. He missed the Huskies’ Central Collegiate Hockey Association series against Minnesota State two weeks ago — the last time Michigan Tech took the ice for a game.
In his two seasons at BGSU, Swankler tallied 70 points (27 goals, 43 assists). He was a first-team All-CCHA selection and Hobey Baker Award nominee in 2022-23 after being a CCHA all-rookie team selection the previous season. He was named CCHA preseason player of the year this past fall before he transferred.
BGSU (13-16-1, 11-8-1 CCHA), which is 6-1-1 in its last eight games and tied for second in the league standings, will face Michigan Tech (12-13-6, 9-9-2) at 7:37 p.m. Friday and 7:07 p.m. Saturday in the Falcons’ final home series of the regular season.
First Published February 22, 2024, 5:12 p.m.
