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USOEC speed skating program ends

MARQUETTE, MI--   Elite speed skaters will no longer train at Northern Michigan University's U.S. Olympic Education Center. 

Officials say they can't afford to renovate the Berry Events Center to add a pad system to protect skaters.  The pads are becoming the standard in the sport's major events around the world.

Skaters typically would train while taking college classes at NMU.  The team had 13 members last year. 

Brian Gaudreau, director of the USOEC, said Tuesday that any new speed skating program would be aimed at coaches rather than competitive skaters.

NMU was the site for World Cup competitions in 2003 and 2009 and U.S. Olympic short-track team trials in 2006 and 2010.

Nicole was born near Detroit but has lived in the U.P. most of her life. She graduated from Marquette Senior High School and attended Michigan State and Northern Michigan Universities, graduating from NMU in 1993 with a degree in English.