Lawsuit alleges decades of sexualized hazing
Sixteen former University of Michigan men's hockey players filed a federal sex discrimination lawsuit in Detroit, alleging they were subjected to sexual abuse and hazing as members of the program between 1984 and 2001. The 74-page complaint, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court, accuses the university and its Board of Regents of sex and gender discrimination under Title IX.
The plaintiffs, identified only as John Does 1 through 16, allege that older teammates forced them into rituals that included forced genital shaving, excessive drinking, eating live fish, and other humiliating conduct. One player, identified as John Doe 7, said he was taunted with a blowtorch while lying on a table. Others allege they were subjected to anal penetration with razor handles and had their genitals tied to hockey helmets or buckets weighted with pucks.
"The abuse was ritualized, meticulously planned, and sadistic. Enduring sexual abuse was required to be a member of the Michigan Men's Ice Hockey team," attorney Michael Pitt said in a statement. Pitt represents the players through the Royal Oak law firm Pitt, McGehee, Palmer, Bonanni & Rivers.
The lawsuit alleges that the abuse was not isolated but became a standard part of the program's culture, facilitated and concealed by coaches and staff. It points to a 1980 hazing incident involving Michigan hockey players that was publicly reported and resulted in suspensions, arguing the university had notice of the risk before the conduct described by the plaintiffs began.
Allegations against Red Berenson
The lawsuit directly names Red Berenson, who coached Michigan from 1984 to 2017, alleging he was aware of the abuse and did not intervene. Berenson, 86, led the Wolverines to national championships in 1996 and 1998 and recorded 848 wins, the fourth-most in NCAA history.
According to the complaint, Berenson instructed upperclassmen to shave players "from the neck down" so the abuse would not be visible when they were clothed. One plaintiff, John Doe 3, said he told Berenson he did not want to participate in the hazing and that the coach coerced him by invoking the ideals of being a "Michigan Man" and a "good teammate."
The lawsuit also names Mel Pearson, who served as an assistant coach under Berenson from 1989 to 2011 and later became head coach, as someone who allegedly knew about the conduct and did not intervene. The complaint states that Pearson admitted to John Doe 15 that he was aware of the hazing, referring to it as "awful traditions."
In his response, Berenson declined to comment when reached by The Associated Press but told MLive.com that there was a "certain element of initiation" by the team's seniors, though no one had complained to him.
"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," Berenson said. He also disputed the lawsuit's characterization, saying, "When they say sexual, I'm guessing they're stretching this."
Berenson publicly announced the end of "freshman hazing" in 2012, mostly referring to first-year players being forced to carry equipment and eat team meals last. He acknowledged that some "captains got too carried away" but made no mention of physical abuse at the time.
University denies responsibility
The University of Michigan called the allegations "disturbing" but denied legal responsibility. Spokesperson Paul Corliss said in a written statement that "to the extent any former student athlete engaged in hazing or other misconduct, they were violating university policy."
"The university first adopted an official anti-hazing policy in 1982. It was one of the first universities in the country to do so, and it has earned its standing as a leader in this area," Corliss said. The university added that "many elements of the complaint are misleading" and that it "denies that it is in any way responsible or liable for the claims alleged."
The university noted that all current student athletes are required to complete annual training on policies against hazing, discrimination, and other misconduct. As of Wednesday, the university and the Board of Regents had not filed formal responses to the complaint.
The lawsuit alleges that the university's anti-hazing policy was insufficient and that officials failed to investigate or stop the alleged abuse. It claims the plaintiffs suffered physical and psychological injuries, diminished educational and professional opportunities, lost earnings, and other damages. The former players are seeking damages, attorney fees, and an order requiring sexualized-hazing prevention training for all Michigan athletes.
The case grew out of conversations among former teammates that began in 2024. The plaintiffs say they did not understand at the time that the conduct constituted sexual abuse or that university officials may have known about and condoned it.
Legal context
The university could argue that the former players waited too long to file the lawsuit, a position it took in 2020 when former athletes sued over sexual misconduct committed decades earlier by campus sports doctor Robert Anderson. The university ultimately agreed to pay $490 million to settle claims by more than 1,000 people in that case.
The allegations in the current lawsuit have not been proven in court.