Mel Tucker reportedly claimed he was having consensual telephone intercourse with rape survivor Brenda Tracy. (Picture by Nic Antaya/Getty Photos)
Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker has been accused of sexually harassing rape survivor Brenda Tracy throughout her time working with the Spartans, in response to USA Right this moment’s Kenny Jacoby.
Tracy, who has made a profession of training athletes about sexual violence in sports activities after being allegedly sexually assaulted by 4 males in 1998, reportedly accused Tucker of constructing sexual feedback about her and masturbating throughout a telephone name on April 28, 2022.
She reportedly filed a grievance towards Tucker with Michigan State’s Title IX workplace in December, with the result of the case nonetheless pending. Tucker reportedly acknowledged masturbating on the decision in a press release to the Title IX investigator, however claimed it had been a part of consensual “telephone intercourse.”
Tucker had beforehand invited Tracy to campus 3 times earlier than the alleged incident, twice to talk to the workforce and as soon as as an honorary captain on the Spartans’ spring soccer recreation in 2022.
Tracy instructed USA Right this moment the alleged incident reopened 25-year-old wounds:
“The concept that somebody might know me and say they perceive my trauma however then re-inflict that trauma on me is so disgusting to me, it’s arduous for me to even wrap my thoughts round it,” she instructed USA Right this moment. “It’s like he sought me out simply to betray me.”
Tucker, who’s married, reportedly claimed Tracy had mischaracterized the episode:
“Ms. Tracy’s distortion of our mutually consensual and intimate relationship into allegations of sexual exploitation has actually affected me,” Tucker wrote in a March 22 letter to the investigator. “I’m not happy with my judgment and I’m having issue forgiving myself for stepping into this example, however I didn’t have interaction in misconduct by any definition.”
Tucker reportedly hung up on a USA Right this moment reporter when requested in regards to the case Saturday night time, following a 45-14 win over Richmond.
Michigan State’s exterior Title IX legal professional reportedly completed her investigation into the grievance in July, with a proper listening to on whether or not Tucker violated the varsity’s sexual harassment coverage scheduled throughout his workforce’s bye week on Oct. 5 and 6.
Tucker signed a totally assured 10-year, $95 million contract with Michigan State after main the Spartans to an 11-2 document in his second yr in East Lansing. That cash might now be in danger relying on the result of that listening to.
The Michigan State program has seen a big step again since Tucker landed his mega-deal, going 5-7 in 2022 with a 29-7 loss to rival Michigan.
Michigan State’s Title IX investigator reportedly discovered holes in Mel Tucker’s story
Per USA Right this moment, Tracy supplied six witnesses to the investigator — three of Tucker’s assistants plus her assistant, therapist and legal professional — whereas Tucker and his legal professional reportedly tried to cease the investigation and twice contacted Tracy’s legal professional to suggest a settlement settlement.
Tracy’s telephone payments reportedly confirmed she had spoken to Tucker on the telephone at the very least 27 occasions, claiming they’d discuss their jobs and extra private issues like households and psychological well being.
Tucker reportedly did not meet with the investigator till March 22, at which level he made a variety of claims that have been refuted with additional investigation. He allegedly claimed the “telephone intercourse” name got here from his residence in East Lansing reasonably than a Florida lodge, as Tracy claimed. The investigator, nevertheless, obtained paperwork exhibiting Tucker had been in Naples, Florida, on the time of the decision to attend a golf occasion at Michigan State’s expense.
He additionally allegedly claimed to have canceled an in-person coaching with Tracy on July 25, three months after the decision, as a result of his psychological conditioning coach, Ben Newman, was implementing a brand new program, however the investigator reportedly obtained faculty data exhibiting Newman didn’t maintain any conferences between July 15 and 28.
Tucker’s wildest declare was reportedly that he heard ESPN investigative reporter Paula Lavigne was investigating the veracity of Tracy’s 1998 alleged sexual assault story, which he claimed made him query her. Lavigne denied she had ever labored on any such story:
“Neither [Tracy’s] group nor Tracy is or has been the goal of any investigative reporting,” Lavigne mentioned in a press release to USA Right this moment. “I’m perplexed that Mel Tucker would reply to a grievance of sexual harassment by involving me or ESPN.”
Each side reportedly deleted their textual content messages with one another, with Tucker claiming he recurrently deletes textual content messages as a result of he will get so many and Tracy saying she panicked after a later telephone name wherein she alleged he mentioned, “I’ll be high quality, it’s you that I’m frightened about.”
Tracy reportedly mentioned she tried to chop all ties with Tucker after that last telephone name and keep quiet to guard her profession, however determined to return ahead months later as a result of she felt letting such habits go would set a foul instance in her discipline.
Michigan State reportedly blocked FOIA request for Mel Tucker complaints
Sexual assault has turn into a recurring difficulty at Michigan State during the last a number of years, most notably with the varsity management’s safety of Larry Nassar, which ultimately led to the exits of college president Lou Anna Simon and athletic director Mark Hollis.
Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo and former soccer coach Mark Dantonio have additionally each been accused of improper conduct associated to sexual assault circumstances involving their gamers.
It was with that background that Michigan State reportedly blocked a Freedom Of Info Act request from ESPN for paperwork associated to Tucker’s case. The college’s interim president reportedly cited state regulation that exempts info that “would represent a clearly unwarranted invasion of a person’s privateness,” with that privateness on this case regarding a telephone name Tucker made whereas touring on the athletic division’s dime, wherein he claimed to have telephone intercourse with an individual he beforehand employed to talk to his workforce a number of occasions.
From ESPN:
“Underneath FOIA’s privateness exemption, info is exempt if (1) it’s private in nature, and (2) disclosure would reveal little to nothing in regards to the internal workings of the federal government. Info is private in nature when it’s intimate, embarrassing, personal, or confidential,” Michigan State wrote in its denial.
ESPN says it believes the denial violated state open data regulation and has engaged Michigan-based regulation agency to pursue potential litigation.