Details Emerge On Hazing Allegations In St. Olaf College Baseball Team

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- New details have emerged about a reported hazing incident that ended the baseball season on the St. Olaf College campus.

The president of the private college informed students yesterday that he was cancelling the rest of the season.

A school investigation found the team violated the St. Olaf's hazing policy last month. The school says the hazing included "ridicule, harassment and public displays of servitude" and also involved underage drinking.

The start to spring break leaves a quiet campus, but some of the students still in town say they're sad to hear that hazing happened at their school.

"St. Olaf is a very, overall, a caring community," student Tucker Moore said. "I mean it is a college campus, and things happen."

St. Olaf's baseball field will stay quiet after the school reported the NCAA Division III baseball team broke campus hazing policy on February 28, both on and off campus.

WCCO obtained a copy of the email from the team's head coach Matt McDonald, who says he can't reveal much about what happened but says the players lied about their actions and are now paying the price.

"The reports of 'slave like behavior with racial overtones' are false. There was no physical abuse to any players and the only people at the event were members of the baseball team," the email said.

The coach also calls the situation "devastating," and says "I want you to know I love our players," in the email. He also highlights the many hours volunteer work the team has contributed.

Junior Abbey Holthusen says she the admires the hard work student athletes put in on and off the field, but those who break the rules should be held accountable.

"They broke those and they knew what they were breaking," she said. "It's fair to take action."

Sources close to the team say the incident involved the upperclassmen having the freshman players wait on them, and someone not on the team reported the incident to the school.

No word on academic consequences for any of the players yet.