Former hockey players sue Michigan over alleged sexualized hazing - ESPN

Editor's note: This story contains graphic details, of a sexual nature, that might be disturbing for some readers.

Sixteen former Michigan hockey players sued the university Wednesday, alleging that the team's former coaches and other school employees turned a blind eye to decades of ritualized hazing that was sexual in nature.

The complaint says the hockey players, who attended Michigan between 1984 and 2001, had their genitals and other parts of their bodies shaved by upperclassmen, were anally penetrated with razor handles and were forced to complete other humiliating acts while nude at parties as part of their initiation to the team as freshmen.

The complaint alleges that Hall of Fame former coach Red Berenson condoned the hazing rituals and punished at least one player who complained. Then-assistant coach Mel Pearson, who later took over as the Wolverines' head coach, was also among several team employees who allegedly knew about the hazing and told freshmen to «just get through it,» according to the lawsuit.

The 16 players, all of whom are anonymous John Does in the lawsuit, filed their case seeking financial damages in federal court in Detroit. The complaint says the players started discussing their hazing experiences in September 2024 and learned that the rituals were more widespread than they had realized.

Pearson did not respond to ESPN's requests for comment. Berenson denied the allegation that coaches encouraged the hazing activities in an interview with MLive on Thursday.

«We knew there was a certain element of initiation on our team, and it was usually orchestrated by the seniors,» Berenson told MLive. «We didn't promote it. We didn't encourage it.»

A university spokesman called the allegations