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Sixteen former University of Michigan hockey players have filed a federal lawsuit alleging they were subjected to years of sexualized hazing while coaches and other university employees knew about the abuse and failed to stop it, ESPN reported.
The former players competed for Michigan between 1984 and 2001, and are identified as John Does in the lawsuit.
Their complaint accuses the university and its Board of Regents of violating Title IX by allowing what the plaintiffs describe as a deeply entrenched hazing culture involving sexual humiliation and abuse.
The lawsuit was filed Sept. 9 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Lawsuit Alleges Sexualized Hazing Was Part of Team Culture
According to the complaint, first-year players were subjected to degrading initiation rituals involving forced nudity, genital shaving and other sexualized acts.
Some plaintiffs also allege they were sexually assaulted during the hazing.
The complaint describes the conduct as ritualized and longstanding rather than isolated incidents involving a small number of players.
Several of the men say they did not fully understand how widespread the alleged abuse had been until former teammates began discussing their experiences in 2024.
Former Coach Accused of Knowing About Hazing
The lawsuit alleges longtime Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson knew about the hazing and failed to stop it.
Berenson coached the Wolverines from 1984 until 2017 and won two national championships during his tenure.
The plaintiffs also allege that assistant coach Mel Pearson and other team personnel knew about the initiation rituals. One player claims that after seeking help from Pearson, he was effectively told to endure the hazing rather than challenge older teammates.
Berenson has denied that coaches encouraged or facilitated sexualized hazing. He told MLive that team initiation activities were organized by players and that the coaching staff did not promote them.
University Denies Legal Responsibility
The University of Michigan called the allegations disturbing but disputed the claim that the school bears legal responsibility.
A university spokesperson said Michigan has maintained an anti-hazing policy since 1982 and argued that any students who engaged in the alleged misconduct were violating university rules.
The university also described portions of the lawsuit as misleading and denied liability for the plaintiffs’ claims.
Plaintiffs Allege Retaliation and Failure to Intervene
The lawsuit goes beyond allegations that coaches merely failed to notice what was happening.
One former player says he reported the abuse to a university athletic official and later saw his playing time substantially reduced.
The complaint also alleges that trainers, equipment managers and other staff members were present during some hazing incidents or were otherwise aware of the culture surrounding the rituals.
Those allegations are central to the plaintiffs’ Title IX claims because the case focuses not only on what teammates allegedly did, but also on whether university officials knew about the conduct and failed to protect players.
Lawsuit Comes After Other Sexual Abuse Cases at Michigan
The new hockey lawsuit arrives against the backdrop of other sexual misconduct cases involving the University of Michigan athletic department.
In 2022, the university agreed to pay $490 million to resolve claims from hundreds of former students and athletes who alleged they were sexually abused by former university physician Robert Anderson over several decades.
Michigan has also faced more recent allegations involving football staff members and other athletic department employees.
The plaintiffs argue that their allegations reflect another example of an athletic culture in which abusive conduct was allowed to continue despite warning signs.
