The co-captains and two alternate captains from the University of Vermont’s men’s ice hockey team have been suspended for the first five games of the upcoming NCAA season and the entire team has been placed on yearlong probation after an off-campus hazing incident.
In a statement from Jeff Schulman, the university’s director of athletics, the sanctions and suspensions were the result of “prohibited initiation activity focused on first-year team members.”
“This is something that I take very seriously,” Schulman said in a statement. “Hazing is dangerous, it’s against university policy and it won’t be tolerated in this Athletic Department. We’re fortunate that this incident did not result in any injuries, but these activities always have the potential to endanger the safety and well-being of our students.”
Information released by the university indicated that first-year players were asked to turn over their cell phones on the morning of Sept. 24, and later taken to a house off-campus where “the initiation activity consisted of first-year team members drinking beer and liquor, and they were expected to be dressed in their boxer shorts while they consumed the alcoholic beverages.”
“I am committed to ensuring that appropriate accountability measures are in place to uphold the integrity of our programs and of the University,” president Tom Sullivan said. “This is our responsibility as an educational institution.”
Vermont coach Kevin Sneddon said he hopes the situation will be a “valuable learning experience” for the entire team.
“I fully support the sanctions and the university’s response and I also support the players on the men’s hockey team,” said Sneddon. “Our program has a strong educational component. I will help our players learn from their mistakes and move forward.”
