Former Michigan hockey players file lawsuit alleging decades-old sexual hazing
More than a dozen ex-players of the University of Michigan men’s ice hockey team have sued, claiming the program tolerated forced genital shaving and other sexual abuse in the 1980s-2000s.
Sixteen men who were members of the University of Michigan men’s ice hockey team from 1984 to 2001 have brought a federal sex-discrimination lawsuit alleging that the program engaged in systematic sexual hazing, such as compulsory shaving of genitals and other abuse by teammates. Their attorney, Michael Pitt, says the abuse was ritualized, meticulously planned, and required for team membership. The suit accuses former head coach Red Berenson, who led the team from 1984 to 2017, of knowing about the misconduct and failing to act.
University spokesperson Paul Corliss called the claims “disturbing,” but maintained that the school had an anti-hazing policy in place since 1982 and is not responsible for any individual misconduct. Berenson declined to comment, asking for time to process the allegations. The filing comes amid broader scrutiny of the university’s handling of sexual misconduct, including a 2022 $490 million settlement over a sports doctor’s alleged assaults.
