Michigan’s Cooper Marody academically ineligible for first half

Michigan sophomore forward Cooper Marody will be out until the Great Lakes Invitational, Wolverines head coach Red Berenson told Orion Sang of the Michigan Daily.

Marody, who finished with 24 points in 32 games as a freshman, was ruled ineligible for the first semester of the school year. He was not in Michigan’s lineup Sunday against Windsor.

According to Berenson, Marody fell behind in one class after getting mononucleosis at the start of spring semester. The Brighton, Michigan native missed six games with the illness between mid-January and mid-February before helping the Wolverines win the Big Ten conference tournament and reach the NCAA Midwest Regional final. From the Daily:

“Remember he got sick last year in January, and that kinda set him back in school. (Marody’s) way ahead of himself in (credit) hours. He’s a good student and he was preparing himself for the Ross Business School, but he got affected by one particular class that really cost him. I can’t tell you anymore than that except he’s ineligible. He’ll have to work hard and he’ll be anxious to play the second half (of the season).”

Being without Marody for the first half of the season is a blow to a Wolverines team in search for offense. Michigan already enters the year without 7 of its top 10 scorers from an offense that led the nation in goals per game. One of three returning players with double-digit goals, he would have been relied upon and given opportunities on a forward corps that has to replace Kyle Connor, JT Compher, Tyler Motte, Cristoval “Boo” Nieves and Justin Selman.

If Marody returns for the second half he will be eligible to play in 18 regular season games plus the postseason.

Marody is a 2015 6th round draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers (158th overall).

(s/t @orion_sang)