Instead, Andries said she was told that she would have to be the one to switch, because she was the uncomfortable one, and he had the same rights as her. Delpit denied the allegations through his attorney. Its not only athlete cases that have stalled in LSUs Title IX process. She claims in her lawsuit that she endured years of discrimination and mistreatment lack of equal compensation, sexual improprieties and harassment stemming from being a Black woman who served as a whistleblower of bad behavior. Lewis insists in her lawsuit that she reported several other cases of inappropriate behavior by coaches and players to Ausberry and Segar. One of Lewis attorneys, Larry English, has asserted claims under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO, in federal court against school officials. 2R (1997, 1998) Michael Sell (born August 23, 1972) is a former professional tennis player from the United States. But I dont even know if theyre going to fire her.. It read, in part: We need sexual harrasment rules that our coaches and staff should be held accountable to. Federal laws and LSU's own policies require . But if I was doing things well, nothing. Finally, in June 2018, according to the report, "Davis was upset about a text message conversation and thus went to the victim's apartment. In the fallout, mens basketball coach Will Wade was fired. LSU has acknowledged formally disciplining two of the nine athletes: Davis and Peter Parrish, a quarterback accused of raping a woman in a car outside a bar earlier this year. She kind of acted like a child.. Guice and Davis included, at least nine LSU football players have been reported to police forsexual misconduct and dating violence since coach Ed Orgeron took over the team four years ago, records show. I was like, What are you doing?, And then I got up and just ran down the hallway into Sharons office and just started crying. In early September, Sanders who had served as the schools Greek life director before becoming student advocacy and accountability director in 2016 issued sanctions against the frat member: a meeting on anger management and healthy relationships, a course on ethics and decision-making, and a deferred suspension for four semesters. Frankenberger, a senior during Sells first season, suffered injuries while being coached by Sell. Van Lith, a First Team All . USA TODAY is not naming the fraternity member at the request of the women, who fear retaliation from him. At least seven LSU officials had direct knowledge that wide receiver Drake Davis was physically abusing his girlfriend, a different LSU womens tennis player, but they sat on the information for months, while Davis continued to assault and strangle her. When she called for the Sells to be fired, the crowd cheered and applauded. For obvious reasons, I did not do that, Andries said. Davis drove the victim to an area on Perkins road and threw her phone out the window. I learned after the release of the Husch Blackwell Report in 2021 and Taylor Porter law firm documents that they were out to get me and that I was being set up, Lewis told NBC News about her tumultuous time at her alma mater. I reported everything that came my way to the people I was supposed to report to. If we get worn down enough, were just going to give up at some point, she said. An institution has 90 days to address the NOA findings. The relationship soon turned violent, the woman told police and USA TODAY, with Davis leaving the woman bruised or bleeding on at least six occasions over the course of just over one year. This time, the other woman in the case appealed, feeling the sanctions were inadequate. Davis enrolled at Southern University in October 2019. They are working on fixing the problems outlined in the Husch Blackwell report, which are the exact same things I reported were happening. She needs to be in control., I have heard that from the other girls, Lewis said. Read USA TODAY's investigation:Two women say ex-Washington RB Derrius Guice raped them at LSU when he was a freshman. Updated: 12:33 PM CDT September 18, 2022. Hes going to be here the next couple of years, she said. According to a redacted LSU Police Department arrest report obtained by ESPN, a woman reported four incidents of physical abuse by Davis between May 2017 and June 2018. At least thats what Julia Sell said in a video posted to Facebook in May 2017, shortly after Johnson learned that her dream school had awarded her a scholarship. Police arrested Davis in August 2018 on felony charges of second-degree battery against a former girlfriend. But Sharon wouldnt have it.. If youre not the type to kiss up to her and give her what shes looking for, that ego trip, the former player said, then she had no mercy turning on you and having others turning on you and spreading false things about people to ruin your reputation.. He admitted in court to punching the woman in the stomach and later pushing her onto a couch, which bruised and cut her leg. She said she dreaded going to practice and playing matches because she felt she wasnt supported, valued or appreciated for who she was. USA Today reported that it found no evidence that White, Mike Sell or Julia Sell informed anyone of Davis' alleged abuse, including the university's Title IX coordinator, which is required under federal law and LSU policy. Davis then drove back and the victim reentered the vehicle. Facebook; Twitter; Facebook Messenger; Pinterest; Email; print; A former LSU women's tennis player says her former coach lied about her knowledge of a Tigers football player physically abusing her between May 2017 and August 2018 and accused the coach of "betraying" her during an investigation.. The incident occurred during Julia Sells first semester at the helm of the program. I thought LSU would kick me out, or that something would happen to my scholarship.. LSU found him responsible for assaulting Andries and a second woman, but it refused to move him out of classes he shared with Andries. Sharon Lewis, an LSU alum and former employee, claims the several complaints she filed over 20 years led to her ouster earlier this year. Still in pain three weeks later, the woman went to LSU athletic trainers to get examined. 2R (1998, 1999) Wimbledon. A Baton Rouge federal judge has dismissed a racial discrimination lawsuit that former longtime LSU women's tennis coach Tony Minnis filed against the university after his 2012 firing. Lewis said she is not aware of any repercussions for Wilson. I was scared. 16 . Click "Submit" to let the Reveille's student journalists know. Elisabeth Andries, a junior at Louisiana State University, reported an LSU fraternity member for sexual assaulting her. LSU didnt do the right thing back in 2016, but I was hoping they would do the right thing now. A former LSU women's tennis player says her former coach lied about her knowledge of a Tigers football player physically abusing her between May 2017 and August 2018 and accused the coach of "betraying" her during an investigation. Then-Louisiana State University Tigers head coach Les Miles looks on during a game in Baton Rouge, La. - The LSU women's tennis team (11-8, 4-7 SEC) celebrated the playing career of four graduating players with a strong 5-2 win over the Ole Miss Rebels (9-10, 3-8 SEC) on Sunday afternoon at the LSU Tennis Complex. The incident caught the attention of LSU officials. Got a question? Luke Dudley, an LSU football equipment manager, says in text messages that Derrius Guice sent him the partially nude photo of Samantha Brennan. LSU dropped courts three and six to Tulane. Sell stole her love of tennis from her, and she said after that year under Sell she needed a break from the sport. Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Johnson hung around LSUs womens tennis team in high school. Photo by Morgan Searles. LSU declined to make Joseph available for an interview and did not answer questions about his involvement in the case, or whether it is appropriate for coaches to attend interviews in Title IX cases. Regarding Ms. Lewis lawsuit, we intend to defend these claims vigorously and not let it distract us from our true goals of improving our university, LSU Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard III said in a statement, adding that he will speak for all school employees. As details of the sexual misconduct within LSU continue to come to light, my hope is that LSU Athletics changes course and decides to be transparent and remorseful rather than continuing to create cover-ups and false narratives.". But she recalled her living room being disheveled the next morning with Guices wallet in her couch cushions. Both women decided to move forward with a Title IX case. November 19, 2020, 6:39 AM. Illustration: Andrea Brunty, USA TODAY Network. If we get worn down enough, were just going to give up at some point. Delays, missteps and inaction have also plagued cases involving ordinary students, according to interviews with five women whove gone through the process, as well as corroborating documents they provided USA TODAY. This, despite the fact that Brennan never pressed charges nor does she intend to and the campus police had never shared the case with prosecutors, the DAs office said. The Title IX case dragged on for more than six months, during which LSU rarely gave the women updates, twice extended the frat members deadlines to appeal without notifying them, and denied their requests for protection from him during the case, according to the women and their emails with school officials. He said, Why do you need to involve my wife? And that would back him off for a while. I must have passed out.. The most comprehensive coverage of LSU Women's Tennis on the web with highlights, scores, game summaries, schedule and rosters. Johnson and the senior both told The Reveille that Sell fabricated that story. LSU has taken the position that these Black womens voices dont matter, English, one of Lewis attorneys, said. Such an approach may explain why LSUs punishmentsfor sexual offenders have often amounted to a slap on the wrist. The victim provided pictures of bruising around her neck from the strangulation, according to police. USA TODAY reached out to all of the players directly or through attorneys or team spokesmen. Kenny Jacoby, Nancy Armour and Jessica Luther, USA TODAY, Derrius Guice, right, with LSU coach Ed Orgeron in 2017. The whole system is on the side of the accused.. Just a bad, bad person, one former player said. And then it progressed to: Lets go to dinner to discuss recruiting. I said, Frank, wheres your wife? I have in the past and will continue to take appropriate action and comply with reporting protocols. LSU police officers arrested and charged Davis the next day with felony dating violence. Brand Guidelines You let your team down this year, she said Sell told her, though the former player didnt lose a single SEC match. The frat member, who was a friend, had invited her as his date. All victims must be heard and supported, and we pledge to stand with them to help end all forms of sexual and domestic abuse.". The people she doesnt like, she just makes them do extra; she yells at them at practice and is on them about the small, small things.. The report also said Lewis was the only staff member punished for not issuing reports, which it described as ironic because Lewis has lodged several reports of sex harassment throughout her tenure. Additionally, the investigation found that Taylor Porter, which had represented LSU for 80 years, did not report its findings from a previous investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by then-football coach Les Miles to all of the schools board members. Deferred suspension, under LSU policy, is a period in which the student must stay out of trouble. But no one did anything, and it escalated and just went from 0 to 100 really fast.. / [1] He was the co-head coach of the women's tennis team at Louisiana State University with Julia Sell from 2015 to April 2022. She transferred to Rutgers (where C. Vivian Stringer was head coach), but had to sit out a year due to the NCAA's then transfer rules. On April 14, 2018, Davis admitted to punching the woman in a text message conversation with deputy athletic director Verge Ausberry, police records show. They gave Sanders her nameand also suggested he speak to the fraternity president from the time. In fact, a top LSU athletics administrator had been sitting on a confession from Davis for four months. We are committed to a culture of safety, equity and accountability for all students and staff. follow. Joseph had also accompanied Davis to his July 11 interview with Sanders, records show. In another case, the school determined that a fraternity member had sexually assaulted two women, but it refused to move him out of classes he shared with one of them and altogether ignored an allegation against him by a third female student.
