MARQUETTE -- On Monday, Northern Michigan University announced that they are suspending the USOEC boxing program this year.
NMU stated that due to a funding issue with USA Boxing, the organization that provides funding for a head coach, they will be suspending the program for the 2011-2012 season.
The resources usually reserved for boxing will be used for other USOEC programs, particularly the wrestling program.
Former head coach Al Mitchell says he'll be going to China to coach for now.
"That's what I did before I came here," said Mitchell. "I worked in Sydney, Australia and Brisbane, Australia for four-and-a-half years, and people consider me a really, really good coach, so jobs will always be there for me."
"The whole point of this is to come up with a quality program, and the only way you can have a quality program is you have to have a full-time, quality coach," said Brian Gaudreau, Interim USOEC Director.
NMU plans on picking up the boxing program next year.
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