Former Michigan hockey players sue university over alleged hazing and abuse
Sixteen ex-players of the University of Michigan men’s ice-hockey team have filed a federal sex-discrimination lawsuit alleging forced genital shaving, excessive drinking and other hazing rituals between 1984 and 2001, while the university denies responsibility.
Sixteen former members of the University of Michigan men’s ice-hockey team have filed a federal sex-discrimination lawsuit in Detroit, claiming they were subjected to forced genital shaving, excessive alcohol consumption and other hazing practices, including eating live fish, during their tenure from 1984 to 2001. One plaintiff said he was threatened with a blowtorch while lying on a table.
Attorney Michael Pitt said the alleged conduct was "ritualized, meticulously planned, and sadistic" and that enduring sexual abuse was presented as a requirement for team membership.
The complaint accuses former head coach Red Berenson, who led the program from 1984 to 2017, of knowing about the abuse and pressuring a player who objected to participate by invoking the ideals of being a "Michigan Man" and a "good teammate." Berenson, 86, has denied involvement, acknowledging that senior players oversaw some initiation activities but stating no complaints were ever brought to him. He said, "Were there some mishaps? Were there some bad experiences? Possibly, but it wasn’t a matter of direction or encouragement from the coaching staff or from the administration," and added, "When they say sexual, I’m guessing they’re stretching this."
Berenson announced the end of "freshman hazing" in 2012, describing it primarily as forcing first-year players to carry equipment and eat last, while noting that some captains had taken the practices too far.
University spokesperson Paul Corliss called the allegations "disturbing" but said the institution is not liable, noting that any student-athlete who engaged in hazing violated university policy. He highlighted that the university adopted an anti-hazing policy in 1982, one of the earliest such policies in the nation.
The lawsuit argues that Berenson’s comments should have triggered an investigation into the team’s practices. The university has not yet responded to requests for comment on the filing. The claims have not been adjudicated, and the university previously settled separate litigation involving former athletes and a campus sports doctor for $490 million.