The short version
- Sixteen former University of Michigan hockey players have filed a federal lawsuit alleging they were subjected to severe sexual hazing and physical abuse by teammates between 1984 and 2001.
- The plaintiffs contend that head coach Red Berenson and other staff members were aware of the ritualized mistreatment but failed to intervene, effectively condoning the behavior as part of team culture.
- University officials have denied any institutional liability, stating that such actions violated policy, while Berenson has acknowledged minor initiation issues but rejected claims of systemic abuse directed by coaches.
A federal lawsuit filed in Detroit on Wednesday brings renewed scrutiny to the University of Michigan’s men’s ice hockey program, with sixteen former players alleging they endured severe sexual hazing and physical abuse during their tenure between 1984 and 2001. The legal action, described by attorneys as a sex discrimination suit, claims that the mistreatment was not merely peer-on-peer misconduct but a ritualized system tolerated by coaching staff and university administrators who were aware of the activities.
The plaintiffs argue that enduring sexual abuse was a mandatory requirement for membership on the team. According to the seventy-two-page complaint, the abuse included forced consumption of excessive alcohol, eating live fish, and having genital hair shaved by teammates. One plaintiff, identified as John Doe 7, alleged he was taunted with a blowtorch while restrained on a table. The lawsuit characterizes these acts as meticulously planned and sadistic, asserting that they were integral to the team’s initiation process rather than isolated incidents.
Central to the legal claim is the allegation that Red Berenson, who served as head coach from 1984 until his retirement in 2017, knew about the abuse and did nothing to stop it. The suit cites one former player, John Doe 3, who reportedly told Berenson he did not want to participate in the hazing. According to the complaint, the coach responded by pressuring him to conform, urging him to be a good teammate and embody the identity of a Michigan man. This dynamic suggests that resistance was met with coercion rather than protection.
Berenson, now eighty-six years old, has declined to provide detailed comments to some outlets but spoke to MLive.com regarding the allegations. He acknowledged that senior players engaged in certain initiation rituals but maintained that no one had complained to him about serious misconduct. He characterized past issues as potential mishaps or bad experiences resulting from captains getting carried away, explicitly denying that the coaching staff or administration directed or encouraged such behavior. His comments reflect a distinction between informal hazing and institutional endorsement.
The University of Michigan has issued a statement calling the allegations disturbing but firmly denying responsibility. Spokesperson Paul Corliss emphasized that any student athlete engaging in hazing or misconduct was violating university policy at the time. The institution’s stance aligns with its previous legal positions, including a defense in 2020 when former athletes sued over sexual misconduct by a campus sports doctor. In that earlier case, the university argued that the plaintiffs waited too long to file their claims, though it ultimately agreed to a $490 million settlement for more than one thousand victims.
The current lawsuit appears to have originated from conversations among several former teammates in 2024, suggesting a recent re-evaluation of past experiences by the alumni group. Attorney Michael Pitt stated that the abuse was required for team membership, framing the issue as systemic discrimination rather than individual wrongdoing. The timing of the suit raises questions about statute of limitations and whether new revelations or changes in legal standards have prompted the decision to pursue litigation after decades of silence.
Legal experts note that universities often face challenges when addressing historical misconduct due to the passage of time and the difficulty of proving institutional knowledge. However, the specific allegations against Berenson and the detailed accounts of ritualized abuse provide a factual basis for the plaintiffs’ claims. The case may also influence how other institutions handle similar reports from former athletes, particularly regarding the duty of care owed by coaches and administrators to student-athletes.
As the legal proceedings move forward, the university will likely argue that the claims are time-barred or that it lacked sufficient knowledge to intervene. The outcome could have significant implications for how athletic programs address hazing and sexual misconduct, both historically and in current practices. For now, the lawsuit serves as a formal challenge to the narrative of team camaraderie, exposing the dark underbelly of initiation rituals that may have been overlooked or ignored for years.
The case underscores the complex relationship between tradition, accountability, and institutional memory in collegiate sports. While Berenson’s legacy includes numerous national championships and a long tenure, these allegations cast a shadow over his leadership style and the culture he fostered. The resolution of this lawsuit will depend on whether courts find that the university breached its duty to protect students from known harms, regardless of how much time has passed since the alleged incidents occurred.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- The Guardian US↗Former University of Michigan hockey players say they were sexually hazed decades ago
