Davis, Calif. (AP) — Northern California State University suspended its entire varsity baseball team and placed the team’s coaching staff on administrative leave Wednesday while it was investigating allegations of hedging.
The University of California, Davis Office of Compliance and Policy is investigating the allegations, “and the entire baseball program has been placed on suspension for the outcome of this review,” the university’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics said in a statement.
A message to the campus community from Chancellor Gary S. May, posted online Friday, said the university was “primarily responding to credible allegations of misconduct related to haze.”
The investigation is expected to last for the first two months of the fall quarter beginning in September, but it is too early to determine when team activities, including drills, can resume, it said.
“We are committed to conducting a thorough evaluation to determine the best route to providing a safe and inclusive experience for all team members,” the department said without elaborating.
It said “the safety of students is of the utmost importance” and that confidential resources such as counseling are available to help those affected.
University spokeswoman Melissa Blouin said she could not provide more details, including when the allegations surfaced, because the process “protects the confidentiality of all parties during an investigation.”
The team is at the bottom of the Big West Conference standings this year with a record of eight wins and 32 losses.
