Brenda Tracy, the well-known sexual violence activist who has spoken to a number of college football programs, is accusing Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker of sexual harassment.
Tracy made the allegations in USA Today, accusing Tucker of making sexual comments toward her and masturbating in a phone call, after the two had developed a relationship over the course of Tracy's visits to the Michigan State program. Tucker told an investigator the encounter was consensual.
“Unequivocally, there’s no doubt about it,” Tucker told the investigator, case documents show, per USA Today. “She was the one who said we’ll do it.”
Michigan State hired a Title IX attorney to investigate the case, which has been open for nearly a year after Tracy filed a complaint last December, with a hearing scheduled for Oct. 5-6. The encounter allegedly occurred after Michigan State's 2022 spring game, in April of that year.
Tucker sat for an interview with investigators in March of this year. His attorney has argued Michigan State lacks the authority and jurisdiction to police the private lives of its employees.
Tucker coached the Spartans in their 45-14 win over Richmond on Saturday.
"As a matter of protocol, the university does not comment on potential investigations. Let me assure you that if any complaint came forward regarding a violation of the university's Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct policy, it would be thoroughly reviewed and followed up on by MSU's Office for Civil Rights," a spokeswoman for Michigan State told ESPN, who also reported on the existence of the investigation. "When investigations do happen, they need the ability to be conducted in a thorough and confidential manner."
In his fourth season as Michigan State's head coach, Tucker signed a 10-year, $95 million contract extension in 2021.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.
Sunday update> Michigan State will make an announcement this afternoon at 5pm et. Stay tuned...