Tropp reinstated to hockey program

Sophomore forward Corey Tropp has been reinstated to the MSU hockey team, head coach Rick Comley announced Friday.

Tropp

Tropp was suspended for the duration of the 2008-09 season — 12 games — after a slashing incident Jan. 24 against Michigan when he slashed U-M’s Steve Kampfer across the neck.

“I feel Corey deserves to rejoin the team,” Comley said in a statement released Friday. “When we suspended him, we said that we would discuss his status at the end of the season. Corey paid a considerable price for his actions – actions which were out of character and not representative of how he had carried himself as a student-athlete in our program up to that point. We believe that this was an isolated incident, and it is time for him to get back with the team as we begin our preparations for next season.”

MSU Athletics Director Mark Hollis agreed with Comley’s decision to reinstate Tropp.

“We feel strongly that our student-athletes should have respect for the game, respect for their opponent, and a commitment to fair play,” Hollis said in a statement. “While Corey made a mistake, he was held accountable for those actions, and has met Coach Comley’s expectations and benchmarks for reinstatement. In my conversations with Corey, I believe he has learned some important life lessons from this unfortunate incident. We have respect for how he navigated this process, and I look forward to seeing him in a Michigan State uniform again.”

Originally posted 3:30 p.m.