Former UVA Swim Team Member Files Hazing Lawsuit

Photo Courtesy: Griffin Scott

Anthony Marcantonio, a 19 year old former member of the University of Virginia Swimming & Diving team, has filed a 10 count lawsuit against his five former teammates. According to an article in the Charlottesville Daily Progress, the suit includes allegations related to hazing that occurred in the fall of 2014.

Kyle Dudzinski, Luke Papendick, Charles Rommel, David Ingraham and Jacob Pearce are the accused and were all upperclassmen on the UVA swim team at the time of the alleged incident. You may remember the five accused men as the same who were suspended from competition in October of 2014. At that time they were suspended “for violations of University of Virginia policy and athletics department rules.” Ingraham was also part of a group of eight athletes who were suspended in October 2013 in another very public team suspension.

According to The Daily Progress, Marcantonio’s case alleges that the actions of these five men were “outrageous and intolerable and [offending] generally accepted standards of decency and morality.” Details of the suit describe the alleged abuse that Marcantonio was subjected to by the five defendants, which began on August 27/28.

The Daily Progress reports that on this day/night, the suit claims that Marcantonio and other first-year members of the team arrived at a Wertland Street house known as the “Swim House” and were subjected to blindfolding, false imprisonment, forced to drink liquids (beers, liquor, milk and prune juice, verbal abuse), forced sexual contact, and a several other intimidation tactics including the threat of forced sodomy.

Among the alleged abuse the suit details occured to Marcantonio and fellow first-year team members includes being “told to chew live goldfish and grab one another’s genitalia,” as well as being “asked sexually explicit questions about themselves and members of the UVA women’s swimming team.”

According to the plaintiff’s statements, this abuse continued in the ensuing week after August 27/28 in the form of e-mails from a joint account (“Mr. Mean”) that was created by the five defendants. E-mails from this account “compelled the first-year swimmers to complete a ‘scavenger hunt’ that required them to steal items from a retail store, the university and another teammate.”

According to the lawsuit, Head Men’s Coach Augie Busch was informed of the hazing allegations on September 6 by “a source outside the UVA community” and followed up with the alleged victims who relayed their experience. UVA Dean of Students Allen Groves was informed of the hazing allegations by the victims only a few days later on September 9.

According to the suit these actions were met with additional threats from the five defendants. Marcantonio also alleges that Busch suggested “he protect himself by only swimming when other members of the team weren’t present,” and later on September 15 told Marcantonio that his “physical safety could not be guaranteed.”

Marcantonio claims that his UVA swimming career was “destroyed” by the five defendants and that their actions caused him to void his contract with UVA. In addition to the counts alleged in the suit, Marcantonio will also be seeking punitive damages from the defendants. Marcantonio has transferred and now swims for Northwestern University.

Comments from UVA, Head Coach Augie Busch, or a spokesman for UVA regarding Marcantonio’s allegations with be reported as soon as available.

For more details, read the Charlottesville Daily Progress article.

 

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swim mom
swim mom
8 years ago

Marcantonio is no longer swimming for the Bluefish and has not for over the last year; he is a member of NE Swim Crimson Swim team.

Jason Marsteller
8 years ago
Reply to  swim mom

Updated the picture with a newer one.

Francois Van Wynsberghe

Joe Starkweather holy damn!

Cathy Chamberlain
8 years ago

Anthony, we have your back.

Steve Schaffer
8 years ago

It’s simple. Don’t haze. Don’t tolerate hazing.

Ben Van Dyk
8 years ago

Every Mako is behind Anthony.

David Amato
8 years ago

Hazing – pointless and bizarre behavior –

Paula Troutman Woodruff

Criminal charges against these five upperclassmen should also be considered.

Theodore Wesley Glocker

If you have not been a college athlete shut up you have no idea what you are talking about and it’s all harmless and in good fun. If you truly object to something have a private conversation and most will let you out. No one is out to hurt you.

Cathy Chamberlain
8 years ago

Anthony was not treated like a normal college athlete. you ha e no idea what he went through.

Theodore Wesley Glocker

How the f do you know? Were you a college swimmer or athlete? Do you know what was expected? I’ve read the article and nothing sends alarms as crazy and anti religious or harmful to his health to me. If so you need to speak up and refuse. I’ve been through it have you? Cathy Chamberlain

Mark North
Mark North
8 years ago

Each generation hazing gets worse. Theodore Glocker how do you know what went on?? Were you there? Locked in a bathroom expected to drink large amounts of alcohol?? Have you heard of
hazing deaths because of forced alcohol drinking?? Threats of sodomy? These are not rite of passage rituals, they are cruel, sadistic in nature, and since the 5 seniors involved were suspended, the University agreed.

John Brown
John Brown
8 years ago

The Daily Progress makes it clear that there was a criminal investigation but that there was not enough evidence to bring criminal charges and that should be made clear in this article as well. Giving all of the facts is journalism 101, clean it up Swim Swam.
As for the internet trolls commenting on this story, remember what happened with the Rolling Stone investigation and wait until you know what you’re talking about before you judge the situation. Charges against some or all of the alleged defendants are rumored to have been dismissed in a University Judiciary trial as well. Furthermore, why is he suing college kids for punitive damages but not the University? Could it be that he has no real case?

Again, hold your judgement and your lectures until this is finalized.

Theodore Wesley Glocker

Not sure what occurred but some fun based imitation is fun and should be permitted. Get over your self and just enjoy the college experience l. Nothing done is going to kill you and will bring you closer. Most former college athletes have been through some sort of initiation brings you closer and is fun in the late night run.

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