Northeastern University announced today that men's ice hockey head coach Greg Cronin and assistant coach Albie O'Connell will be reinstated, effective today (March 7).

Both coaches had been serving indefinite suspensions as a result of NCAA violations related to excessive telephone and text message contact with prospective student-athletes. The violations, disclosed by the university on Feb. 18, were revealed during the course of routine internal compliance monitoring.

“Just as we did what we thought best when we imposed the suspensions, we are continuing to do what we think is best and appropriate by ending the suspensions,” said director of athletics Peter Roby. “We have a set of standards and accountability under which we are working. We took immediate and appropriate action when the violations were discovered. That response reflects our values and expectations.”

The university also announced that assistant coach Sebastien Laplante will receive a suspension equal in length to that served by Cronin and O'Connell. Laplante will serve his suspension in fall 2011.

“We felt it important, for the well-being of our student-athletes, to maintain a sense of continuity within the team's leadership structure,” Roby said of the decision to enforce Laplante's suspension in the fall. “Each responsible party will receive appropriate sanctions, but the welfare of our student-athletes must always be our top priority.”

The university will provide a complete report of the findings of its internal investigation to the NCAA. The university will have no additional comment on the investigation until it has completed its work with the NCAA.