Former Northeastern captain Pam Pachal says she the expects the results of a week-and-a-half long investigation by the Northeastern athletic department over concerns about coach Joy Woog to be released later this week, though Woog says she herself knows nothing about it.
Pachal and senior classmate Michelle Lorion were both cut from the team by Woog last Thursday. According to Pachal, the team met with athletic director Dave O’Brien shortly after the dismissals to discuss concerns over Woog, and an investigation would be conducted.
“They’ve been investigating and I appreciate that, because at least they’re taking our concerns and not just blowing them off like some schools would do,” Pachal said.
Woog says she knows nothing of any investigation or of any action taken by the dismissed players against her.
“I don’t really know what they’re doing,” Woog said. “I don’t speak with them anymore. My communication is done.”
She added that the team has improved since Pachal and Lorion’s dismissal. Northeastern’s next game is on Sunday at Maine.
“As far as I know, I dismissed them from the team, I haven’t heard from them since, and our team is doing great,” Woog said. “We’ve had a great week of practice this week.”
Woog says she dismissed Pachal and Lorion because she asked them to change things they had done throughout out the year, and that never happened.
“Basically, they were moving in a backward direction,” Woog said. “As a team and as a program we’re trying to move in a forward direction. This was in the best interest of the program. We think since the decision has been made, things have improved, and the program is now back on track and moving forward.”
Northeastern, at 5-11-2, is winless in its last six games and mired in its worst start in school history. The Huskies have had only one losing season in the program’s history — a 14-15-5 mark in 1995-1996.
Woog, a Brown alum, took over the Northeastern head coaching job prior to the 2000-2001 season when longtime coach Heather Linstad departed abruptly to take over Connecticut’s fledgling program. Woog led the Huskies to a 16-15-1 record in her first season and a 27-7-1 mark last year, during which Northeastern was ranked as high as No. 2 in the country.
Coming into this season, Woog expected to struggle early. Her team had graduated several seniors, including Patty Kazmaier winner Brooke Whitney. Half of her initial 24-player roster were freshmen. The dismissal of Pachal and Lorion has since made the Huskies proportionately even younger.
