Suspended In a statement released on Monday, Michigan State head football coach Mel Tucker vehemently refuted allegations that he had harassed Brenda Tracy, a speaker on sexual assault, and referred to the planned hearing as “a sham.”
In a statement released on Monday, Tucker claimed that Tracy and he had a “intimate, adult relationship” and that her claims that he had harassed her were “completely false.” Tucker is represented by Jennifer Belveal. He alleged that a hearing that will determine if he broke university rules is “ridiculously flawed and not intended to get to the truth.”
After the specifics of the allegations against the coach were made public in a USA Today article published Sunday night, Tucker was placed on leave without pay by Michigan State’s athletic director Alan Haller.
According to information published by USA Today on Sunday, Tracy, who runs a nonprofit organization that works to raise awareness about sexual misconduct, particularly among college athletes, told university investigators that Tucker sent her gifts, asked if she would date him if he wasn’t married, and masturbated while speaking with her on the phone without her consent.
Mel Tucker’s and Tracy’s statement
Mel Tucker’s statement read
“While I am saddened by Ms. Tracy’s disclosure of the sensitive nature of this call, let me be perfectly clear — it was an entirely mutual, private event between two adults living at the opposite ends of the country,” “She initiated the discussion that night, sent me a provocative picture of the two of us together, suggested what she may look like without clothes, and never once during the 36 minutes did she object in any manner, much less hang up the phone.”
Tracy responded on social media several hours later, using the acronym DARVO, which stands for “deny, attack, and reverse victim and offender.”
My response to Coach Tuckers statement:
“This is just more of the same DARVO, deflection, victim blaming and lies that I’ve been dealing with now for months.
Coach Tucker has been delaying and trying to stop the investigative process since the beginning. He can’t afford to go… https://t.co/2UnzJLmv7C
— Brenda Tracy (@brendatracy24) September 12, 2023
She wrote on X (Formerly Twitter)
“This is just more of the same DARVO, deflection, victim blaming and lies that I’ve been dealing with now for months. Coach Tucker has been delaying and trying to stop the investigative process since the beginning. He can’t afford to go to a hearing that determines credibility of the participating parties,”
“I believe this statement is his way of getting out of participating in the hearing. October 5th and 6th I will be present for the hearing and make myself available for cross examination by his attorney Jennifer Belveal. I invite him to do the same.”
After receiving attention from numerous prestigious programs, Tucker signed a 10-year, $95 million contract with Michigan State in November 2021. This secured the coach for the Spartans. That season, Tucker guided MSU to an 11-2 record and a No. 10 AP ranking. His overall record as MSU’s coach is 20-14.
Harlon Barnett, Michigan State’s secondary coach, was appointed acting head coach by Haller on Sunday. Mark Dantonio, a former MSU coach, has rejoined the organization as an associate coach and will support Barnett. On Saturday at Spartan Stadium, No. 8 Washington will play host to Michigan State.