Michigan State University suspended football coach Mel Tucker on Sunday, hours after a USA Today report revealed he is the subject of an ongoing sexual harassment investigation.
At a press conference Sunday evening, the university\u2019s interim president, Teresa Woodruff, announced Tucker would be suspended without pay, pending a resolution of the Title IX case. A formal hearing to determine whether Tucker violated school policy is set for Oct. 5 and 6.
\u201cThis step, suspending Mel Tucker without pay, is \u2026 necessary and appropriate for today\u2019s circumstances,\u201d Woodruff reportedly said at the press conference Sunday. \u201cThese actions are not taken lightly.\u201d
The USA Today report revealed Brenda Tracy, a prominent advocate for victims of sexual violence and herself a rape survivor, filed a complaint in December 2022 with the school\u2019s Title IX office. In the complaint, she reportedly detailed a phone call she had with Tucker, during which she recalled sitting frozen while he allegedly made sexual comments about her and masturbated, according to USA Today\u2019s description of the complaint.
Tucker and Tracy had formed a working partnership to fight against the culture of sexual violence in sports, according to the USA Today report. They developed a professional relationship centered on the advocacy, over the course of eight months, and Tracy visited the campus three times, in a professional capacity.
Tracy reportedly said the incident reopened decades-old wounds from when she was raped by four men, two Oregon State football players, a junior college player and a recruit, according to USA Today.
\u201cThe idea that someone could know me and say they understand my trauma but then re-inflict that trauma on me is so disgusting to me, it\u2019s hard for me to even wrap my mind around it,\u201d she said to USA Today, adding, \u201cIt\u2019s like he sought me out just to betray me.\u201d
Tucker reportedly said to the Title IX investigator that the interactions were \u201cconsensual\u201d and accused Tracy of distorting their interactions.
\u201cMs. Tracy\u2019s distortion of our mutually consensual and intimate relationship into allegations of sexual exploitation has really affected me,\u201d Tucker reportedly told the investigator in March of this year, adding, \u201cI am not proud of my judgment and I am having difficulty forgiving myself for getting into this situation, but I did not engage in misconduct by any definition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n