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2005 NCAA Division I Women's All-Americans
2005 NCAA Division I Men's All-Americans
2005 NCAA Division I Women's Tournament results
2005 NCAA Division I Men's Tournament results
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Porter becomes sixth Akron coach after Lolla moves to Louisville.
Hennessy hopes to end Delaware losing streak as new coach.
Columbia makes Ficken retire after 27 years as coach.
Rammel resigns at Saint Mary's to join MLS Galaxy.
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NCAA women Northwestern suspends women's program while it investigates hazing incident.By Gary Davidson
(Tuesday, May 16, 2006) -- The Northwestern University women's soccer program has been suspended indefinitely, pending completion of an investigation into an alleged hazing incident, photographs of which were posted on a web site. Badjocks.com posted 21 photos from what it said was a group of 46 pictures it found on a file-sharing site under the title "Freshman Initiation." The photos were apparently originally posted on the file-sharing site last August, which would have been at the beginning of the 2005 soccer season. The photos showed women, dressed in T-Shirts, underwear and knee-high socks, involved in what would be appear to be underage -- and it might seem excessive -- drinking. In some instances, the players were blindfolded with their hands taped behind their backs, in others being forced to do calisthenics. Some pictures have the women kissing each other and, in two cases, performing lap dances on men. In several photos, the women are shown with things written on their faces, legs and clothes. Northwestern director of athletics Mark Murphy and women's soccer coach Jenny Haigh could not be reached for comment, however Murphy issued a prepared statement. "Northwestern University today learned of allegations that hazing took place last year involving the women's soccer team," Murphy wrote. "Hazing is forbidden under the University's anti-hazing policy. Northwestern's Division of Student Affairs will conduct a thorough investigation of the alleged incident. I have asked all Athletic Department staff, team coaches and members of the team to cooperate fully in the investigation by Student Affairs. "If the investigation shows that there has been a violation of Northwestern's policies, appropriate sanctions will be imposed and the Athletic Department may take additional action as well. Until this investigation is completed, I have suspended the women's soccer team from all organized athletic activities." Preparations for the 2006 season begin in about three months. At this time, there is no evidence, coach Jenny Haigh or her staff were aware of the hazing incident or the existence of the photographs. Ramifications of this incident go beyond the possible cancellation of the Wildcats' 2006 season. Team members found in violation of the student code of conduct could be suspended or expelled from school and\or lose their scholarships. Northwestern's student handbook reads: "The University forbids hazing (based on the state law, Illinois Hazing Act, 720 ICLS 120/0.01) and all other activities that interfere with the personal liberty of an individual. The University defines hazing as any action taken or situation created intentionally, whether on or off university premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule. "Such activities and situations may include. . . wearing apparel that is conspicuous and not normally in good taste; engaging in stunts and buffoonery; requiring sleep-overs or morally degrading or humiliating games and activities; late work sessions or activities that interfere with scholastic activities and\or normal sleeping hours; forced consumption of alcohol." NCAA Division I women's soccer is a fall sport, but a spring season is allowed for supervised training and playing several exhibition games. Northwestern's spring practice ended April 29. The first game of the 2006 season is scheduled for August 25 against DePaul with practice commencing about two weeks prior to then. The Wildcats were 9-9-1 in 2005, 2-7-1 in the Big Ten. In five years on the Evanston, Ill., campus, Haigh's teams are 38-46-11 (.458), 15-28-7 (.370) in conference. The school removed the roster and biographies (with photographs) of the women's soccer team and coaches from its web site. Bob Reno, who operates Badjocks, said he came across the Northwestern photos while searching for pictures regarding the Duke men's lacrosse team, which had its 2006 season canceled because of a scandal stemming from an alleged rape at a team party. "Obviously, this is not the same degree as (the Duke situation)," Zach Silva, sports editor of the NU school newspaper, The Daily Northwestern, told USA Today. "But drinking and other things happening is quite disturbing." Largely because of the Duke debacle, Northwestern finds itself in a less-than-flattering national spotlight. The posting of the team photos was the subject of ESPN's "Outside the Lines" and the story has appeared in media around the country.
Gary Davidson is SoccerTimes managing editor. Do you have a comment on this story or something to say about soccer in general? Send us a letter. |
