2008 Woodie Awards
Three UM softball players suspended
Team on three-year probation following hazing investigation
Nicholas McCrea
Issue date: 9/13/07 Section: Maine Sports
The University of Maine softball squad has been suspended from practice for one week at the onset of the 2008 season and placed on probation until May 31 of the 2010 season. Three of its members will sit out for at least the first two games this season following a one-month investigation by the school into possible hazing during team parties.
UMaine handed down the punishments on Aug. 15, about one month after a watchdog group, ncaahazing, posted pictures on their Web site of 2005 and 2006 off-campus "rookie parties." At these parties, members of the softball team including the three suspended players, who were dressed in costumes and heavy makeup, were photographed drinking from alcohol containers and making lewd gestures. When http://www.ncaahazing.com, which is not associated with the NCAA, posted the pictures, they forwarded the link to the Bangor Daily News, who published a story about the incident the next day. UMaine started their investigation soon after.
"The message here is clear: we will not tolerate this kind of behavior," UMaine Athletic Director Blake James said in an Aug. 15 press release. Junior Courtney Gingrich received a 10-game suspension and juniors Ashley Waters and Jenna Balent were each suspended for two games. Gingrich and Waters were stripped of their captaincies, which they were picked to take on this season.
In May 2007, ESPN the Magazine named Waters to its Academic All-District Second Team and the NCAA designated her to its America-East All-Academic team just one week earlier.
When Waters was asked via e-mail to comment on the punishments she responded, "It's over with."
Waters told the Portland Press Herald for an Aug. 21 article that she and her teammates had been victims of the hazing, not ringleaders or participants.
"I am now considered guilty of hazing because I did not leave the party or tell someone of authority about it," Waters told the Herald. "I would or could never have done that. I keep asking myself, if a crime was committed against me, am I guilty of that crime if I do not report it?"
UMaine handed down the punishments on Aug. 15, about one month after a watchdog group, ncaahazing, posted pictures on their Web site of 2005 and 2006 off-campus "rookie parties." At these parties, members of the softball team including the three suspended players, who were dressed in costumes and heavy makeup, were photographed drinking from alcohol containers and making lewd gestures. When http://www.ncaahazing.com, which is not associated with the NCAA, posted the pictures, they forwarded the link to the Bangor Daily News, who published a story about the incident the next day. UMaine started their investigation soon after.
"The message here is clear: we will not tolerate this kind of behavior," UMaine Athletic Director Blake James said in an Aug. 15 press release. Junior Courtney Gingrich received a 10-game suspension and juniors Ashley Waters and Jenna Balent were each suspended for two games. Gingrich and Waters were stripped of their captaincies, which they were picked to take on this season.
In May 2007, ESPN the Magazine named Waters to its Academic All-District Second Team and the NCAA designated her to its America-East All-Academic team just one week earlier.
When Waters was asked via e-mail to comment on the punishments she responded, "It's over with."
Waters told the Portland Press Herald for an Aug. 21 article that she and her teammates had been victims of the hazing, not ringleaders or participants.
"I am now considered guilty of hazing because I did not leave the party or tell someone of authority about it," Waters told the Herald. "I would or could never have done that. I keep asking myself, if a crime was committed against me, am I guilty of that crime if I do not report it?"
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