A former member of Northeastern’s women’s hockey team has filed suit against coach Joy Woog and the school.
The Boston Globe reported that in the civil lawsuit, Michelle Lorion charges Woog with assault and battery, emotional distress, and dismissal from the team without cause.
According to the newspaper, Woog dismissed Lorion, an assistant captain, and captain Pam Pachal from the team on Jan. 7. Lorion’s suit charges Woog with assault and battery during a November practice.
In the complaint, Lorion charges that at a November practice, Woog screamed at her during a routine drill, then punched her with her fist “twice on the shoulder with great force.”
Neither Woog nor Lorion commented to the Globe.
At the time of the dismissal, the newspaper quoted Woog as saying, “The staff felt it was in the best interest of the team. It wasn’t one particular incident, it was things going on throughout the season. We have meetings with players all the time: They were asked to do things and they didn’t.”
At the time, Woog said the two would not lose their scholarships.
The Globe did talk to Ed Klotzbier, Northeastern’s director of university communications, who said, “We’re hoping both sides will reach a mutually satisfactory resolution to the matter.”
Klotzbier said the university “conducted a thorough investigation when the incident allegedly occurred. We had interviews with staff, players, and others in the facility. We support the coaches’ decision to remove the players from the team. As far as we’re concerned at Northeastern, the matter is closed.”
Lorion, from Mississauga, Ont., was in her fourth year on the hockey team. She had scored six goals and had six assists in 17 games at the time of her dismissal.
