U athletic panel lets stand policy against UND's team nickname

Last update: October 10, 2007 - 7:40 PM

GRAND FORKS, N.D. - A University of Minnesota policy discouraging the school's athletic teams from competing against the University of North Dakota in any sport except hockey will stand.

The school's Advisory Committee on Athletics said in February that it would reconsider the policy, which was prompted by UND's Fighting Sioux nickname.

Committee chairman Douglas Hartmann now says that won't happen.

The decision could hurt UND during the five-year transition to NCAA Division I athletics in all sports that it embarked on last year. UND already plays hockey in Division I, and has a long-standing rivalry with Minnesota in that sport.

UND associate athletic director Betty Ralston says the Minnesota committee's decision is unfortunate but not surprising.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

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