This is about the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
Bill Could Pull Scholarships From Foreign Athletes
Two state lawmakers say they want to keep foreign athletes from getting scholarships to play on Minnesota college teams.
Rep. Bob Dettmer, R-Forest Lake, and Sen. Ray Vandeveer, R-Forest Lake, introduced legislation on March 2 that would ban state money from being used directly or indirectly for an athlete who is not a citizen of the United States.
"We just feel that if we're going to give state using taxpayers money that we want the opportunity for students in the United States first," said Dettmer.
He said the push behind the legislation came from a constituent who was a former University of Minnesota men's hockey player.
"As a young college athlete, he thought it should go to Minnesota or U.S. citizens," Dettmer said.
The legislation would likely not affect any scholarships at the University of Minnesota. According to University Spokesman Dan Wolzer, state money does not fund athletic scholarships. Any state money goes toward academic support or the marching band.
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) schools, like St. Cloud State University and Minnesota State University-Mankato would be affected.
Overall, the number of foreign student-athletes at these schools is a small percentage compared to the overall student-athlete population. The majority are hockey players but a handful play tennis, golf, baseball and others.
St. Cloud State University athletic director Morris Kurtz said the legislation would have an impact on the school's hockey team. More importantly, though, he said it would have an adverse reaction on the school itself.
"They are wonderful additions," Kurtz said. "We welcome them, their backgrounds, their cultures and their differences, and we learn from them. So it would certainly disappointing not only from a student athlete standpoint, but just from a student point."
No hearing has been scheduled yet for the legislation.



Anchorage.........0-0-0 0pts Bemidji St........0-0-0 0pts Colorado College..0-0-0 0pts Denver............0-0-0 0pts Duluth............0-0-0 0pts Minnesota.........0-0-0 0pts MSU-Mankato.......0-0-0 0pts Michigan Tech.....0-0-0 0pts North Dakota......0-0-0 0pts Nebraska Omaha....0-0-0 0pts St Cloud State....0-0-0 0pts Wisconsin.........0-0-0 0pts
| Oct 15 vs North Dakota 7:37pm | |
| Oct 16 vs North Dakota 7:07pm | |
| Oct 29 vs MN Duluth 7:37pm | |
| Oct 30 vs MN Duluth 7:07pm | |
| Nov 5 at St Cloud 7:07pm | |
| Nov 6 at St Cloud 7:07pm | |
| Nov 12 vs Anchorage 7:37pm | |
| Nov 13 vs Anchorage 7:07pm | |
| Nov 19 at Denver 8:07pm | |
| Nov 20 at Denver 8:07pm | |
| Nov 26 vs N Michigan 7:37pm | |
| Nov 27 vs N Michigan 7:07pm | |
| Dec 3 vs Neb Omaha 7:37pm | |
| Dec 4 vs Neb Omaha 7:07pm | |
| Dec 10 at Wisconsin 7:07pm | |
| Dec 11 at Wisconsin 7:07pm | |
| Dec 31 vs Ferris State 3:07pm | |
| Jan 1 vs Union 4:07pm | |
| Jan 7 at Huntsville 7:07pm | |
| Jan 8 at Huntsville 7:07pm | |
| Jan 14 at Omaha 7:37pm | |
| Jan 15 at Omaha 7:07pm | |
| Jan 21 vs St Cloud 7:37pm | |
| Jan 22 vs St Cloud 7:07pm | |
| Feb 4 at MN State 7:37pm | |
| Feb 5 at MN State 7:07pm | |
| Feb 11 at Michigan Tech 7:07pm | |
| Feb 12 at Michigan Tech 5:07pm | |
| Feb 18 vs Colorado College 7:37pm | |
| Feb 19 vs Colorado College 7:07pm | |
| Feb 26 at North Dakota 3:37pm | |
| Feb 27 at North Dakota 3:37pm | |
| March 4 vs Minnesota 7:37pm | |
| March 5 vs Minnesota 7:07pm | |
| March 11 WCHA First Round TBA | |
| March 12 WCHA First Round TBA | |
| March 13 WCHA First Round TBA | |
| March 17 WCHA Final Five TBA | |
| March 18 WCHA Final Five TBA | |
| March 19 WCHA Final Five TBA |
