ABSTRACT

Sixteen men who played hockey at the University of Michigan between 1984 and 2001 filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday in Detroit alleging their coach and other staff were aware of sexual hazing that included forced genital shaving and other abuse by teammates. The lawsuit grew out of conversations among several former teammates in 2024.

New York Post

16 former Michigan hockey players sue university over alleged sexual hazing by teammates

Sep 10, 2026, 5:04 PM

Context

The 72-page complaint describes players being forced to consume excessive amounts of alcohol and eat live fish. According to the lawsuit, players were forced to have hair around their genitals shaved by teammates, and one player identified as John Doe 7 said he was taunted with a blowtorch while on a table.

The lawsuit alleges that Red Berenson, who served as coach from 1984 to 2017, was aware of the abuse and did not intervene. According to the complaint, John Doe 3 told Berenson he did not want to participate in hazing, and the coach responded by telling him to be a 'Michigan Man' and a 'good teammate.'

In 2012, Berenson announced an end to 'freshman hazing,' referring to first-year players being forced to carry equipment and eat team meals last. He acknowledged at the time that there were 'captains that got too carried away,' according to news reports.

The University of Michigan faced a separate sexual misconduct lawsuit in 2020 brought by former athletes over abuse committed decades earlier by a campus sports doctor. The university agreed to pay $490 million to settle claims by more than 1,000 people.

All Perspectives

Plaintiffs' attorney: Attorney Michael Pitt stated in the lawsuit: 'The abuse was ritualized, meticulously planned, and sadistic. … Enduring sexual abuse was required to be a member of the Michigan Men's Ice Hockey team.'

University of Michigan: Spokesperson Paul Corliss said the allegations are 'disturbing' but the university denies responsibility. 'To the extent any former student athlete engaged in hazing or other misconduct, they were violating university policy,' Corliss stated. He added that 'The university first adopted an official anti-hazing policy in 1982. It was one of the first universities in the country to do so, and it has earned its standing as a leader in this area.'

Red Berenson: Berenson, 86, told MLive.com that there was 'a certain element of initiation' by the team's seniors but that no one had complained to him. He stated: 'Were there some mishaps? Were there some bad experiences? Possibly, but it wasn't a matter of direction or encouragement from the coaching staff or from the administration.' On the sexual abuse allegations, Berenson said: 'When they say sexual, I'm guessing they're stretching this.'

Gaps & Unknowns

The source does not identify the 16 plaintiffs by name or provide details of their individual experiences beyond brief references to John Doe 3 and John Doe 7.
The source does not state whether the university has been served with the lawsuit or when it is scheduled to respond in court.
The source does not provide Red Berenson's response to the specific allegations that he coerced players into participating in hazing.
The source does not name or quote other staff members alleged to have been aware of the abuse.
The source does not state whether any statute of limitations issues may affect the claims, though it notes the university previously argued timing in a 2020 case.

Sources & Further Reading

New York Post — original

Read the original at New York Post

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