The Daily has learned that Colorado College coach Don Lucia and his wife, Joyce, left Colorado Springs on Wednesday afternoon for the Twin Cities, according to a family member reached at Lucia’s Colorado home.
Lucia is considered the top candidate to replace Doug Woog as Gophers men’s hockey coach. Woog resigned Tuesday after 14 seasons.
Men’s athletics director Mark Dienhart, reached on his cellular phone, said a search committee had been formed but wouldn’t divulge the identities of its members. He also said he couldn’t discuss potential candidates for the job until they were named as “finalists.”
But a family member at Dienhart’s home said the AD was “interviewing a coach” at a local restaurant.
Dienhart and assistant AD Pat Forceia traveled to Denver on Tuesday to meet with Lucia, only hours after Woog resigned.
Various news reports quoted Lucia on Wednesday as saying the meeting went well and that he expected to interview in Minneapolis within the week.