Allegations of Abuse and Hazing in Michigan Men’s Ice Hockey Program

Sixteen former hockey players from the University of Michigan have filed a federal sex discrimination lawsuit, claiming they suffered sexual abuse and hazing during their time in the program from 1984 to 2001.

The lawsuit, filed in Detroit, describes freshmen players undergoing forced genital shaving, excessive drinking, and eating live fish as part of initiation rituals. One player reported being taunted with a blowtorch by upperclassmen while lying on a table.

The attorney representing the former players, Michael Pitt, categorized the alleged practices within the team as ritualized and sadistic. Pitt stated that experiencing sexual abuse was a necessity to remain part of the Michigan Men’s Ice Hockey team.

The abuse was ritualized, meticulously planned, and sadistic,” Pitt said.

Role of Former Coach Red Berenson

Red Berenson, the head coach from 1984 to 2017, is accused within the lawsuit of knowing about the abuse but not intervening. One player, identified as John Doe 3, allegedly raised concerns about the hazing to Berenson. The complaint states that Berenson pressured him by emphasizing the importance of being a “Michigan Man” and a “good teammate.”

Berenson, who is now 86, refuted claims of being directly involved or encouraging the hazing practices. He acknowledged senior players sometimes took charge of initiations, but insisted he was not informed of complaints by athletes.

Were there some mishaps? Possibly, but it wasn’t a matter of direction or encouragement from the coaching staff or from the administration,” Berenson said.

Berenson disputed the characterization of the conduct as sexual.

When they say sexual, I’m guessing they’re stretching this,” he said.

In 2012, Berenson announced the cessation of “freshman hazing,” mainly referring to first-year players being required to carry equipment and eat meals last. He admitted that some team captains took these rites too far.

The plaintiffs argue that Berenson’s acknowledgment should have led to an investigation by the university into its hazing practices.

University’s Stance on the Allegations

Paul Corliss, a spokesperson for Michigan, regarded the allegations as “disturbing,” but insisted that the university was not responsible for the misconduct.

To the extent any former student-athlete engaged in hazing or other misconduct, they were violating university policy,” Corliss said.

Corliss highlighted that Michigan adopted an anti-hazing policy in 1982, one of the first universities to do so in the U.S.

Lawsuit Timing and University’s Response

The lawsuit emerged after former players began sharing their experiences in 2024. Michigan might argue that the plaintiffs waited too long to file suit given the abuse happened decades ago.

The university made a similar argument in past litigation concerning allegations against campus sports doctor Robert Anderson. Despite initially contesting the timing, Michigan settled for $490 million with over 1,000 former athletes.

The claims within the hockey lawsuit have yet to be proven in court.

Fox News Digital reached out to the University of Michigan for a response.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.