Bowling Green has officially sanctioned seven players who were suspended Oct. 19 after head coach Scott Paluch was shown a photo of a nude player with profanity and racial slurs written on his body.
Paluch had suspended Ryan Barnett, Steve Brudzewski, Bryan Dobek, Mike Falk, Don Morrison, Brett Pilkington and Alex Rogosheske indefinitely for violating team policy. All seven players can return to the team immediately, but will not be allowed play until Friday, Nov. 12.
The university’s student discipline program investigated the incident, concluding that the players were in violation of the school’s student code of conduct. It did not, however, find that the photo was hazing-related.
“These student-athletes were part of an incident that does not reflect what our University, our athletic department, and our hockey program stands for,” said BGSU director of athletics Paul Krebs. “While the behavior these student-athletes exhibited is unacceptable, it does not reflect the manner in which they have conducted themselves and represented the University since this incident occurred in April, 2003. It is our responsibility and our mission to change behavior through education.”
“We have worked diligently with the University to aid their investigation,” said Paluch. “Based on their findings, the athletic department and myself have acted accordingly. These young men have acknowledged that their actions were unacceptable, and they have accepted responsibility for the manner in which they conducted themselves.”
The incident surfaced after the Bowling Green Sentinel-Tribune reported that it received a photo showing an unnamed Bowling Green player, apparently unconscious, face down, with profanity and racial slurs written with a marker on his body.
The photo, taken in April 2003 according to the Toledo Blade, had been sent from someone in Canada, with no return address.
Rogosheske, the team captain, and Brudzewski are seniors; the other five players are juniors.
