EAST LANSING, Mich — Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker is under an ongoing sexual harassment investigation. In a USA Today report, it was revealed that he is accused by Brenda Tracy, a prominent rape survivor and activist who works to educate male athletes about sexual misconduct.
In the report, it is alleged that Tucker made sexually suggestive comments and admitted to masturbating during a phone call with Tracy. The report was released just hours after after MSU's game Saturday.
“The idea that someone could know me and say they understand my trauma but then re-inflict that trauma on me is so disgusting to me, it’s hard for me to even wrap my mind around it,” said Tracy to USA Today. “It’s like he sought me out just to betray me."
USA Today reports a professional relationship between Tucker and Tracy developed over eight months of working together. Tucker allegedly invited Tracy to campus three times. Tracy went to campus twice to speak to the football team and once to be recognized as an honorary captain for the team.
The report goes on to say that the relationship took a turn after a phone call on April 28, 2022, when Tracy "sat frozen for several minutes while Tucker made sexual comments about her and masturbated." Tracy told USA Today that the act brought up her rape by four men from 25 years ago.
USA Today reports Tucker told a Title IX investigator that they had consensual phone sex.
“Ms. Tracy’s distortion of our mutually consensual and intimate relationship into allegations of sexual exploitation has really affected me,” Tucker wrote in a letter to the investigator, according the that report, “I am not proud of my judgment and I am having difficulty forgiving myself for getting into this situation, but I did not engage in misconduct by any definition.”
A hearing has been scheduled for Oct. 5-6, the hearing will determine whether Tucker violated the school's sexual harassment and exploitation policy, according to the report from USA Today.
Tucker's contract states if he “engages in any conduct which constitutes moral turpitude or which, in the University's sole judgement, would tend to bring public disrespect, contempt or ridicule upon the university,” he could face termination. He could also face being suspended, without pay, if he “materially breaches" his contract.
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