Football
Football Notre Dame denies battery allegation against Marcus Freeman
Notre Dame has denied that Marcus Freeman made physical contact with anyone after the football coach was accused of battery in a police report filed Jan. 3 following an incident at his son’s high school wrestling match.
No charges are expected against Freeman, university sources told ESPN on Sunday.
According to the South Bend Tribune, which first reported the news, the alleged incident involved Freeman and New Prairie High School assistant wrestling coach Chris Fleeger. Freeman and his family were at the Al Smith Wrestling Invitational to support his son, Vinny, a senior who is heading to Cornell.
Fleeger filed a police report this past week accusing Freeman of battery.
“Vinny Freeman, head coach Marcus Freeman’s son, was verbally accosted during and after his wrestling match by a local wrestling coach,” Notre Dame said in a statement issued Sunday. “Marcus and Joanna Freeman intervened and removed Vinny from the situation. At no point did Coach Freeman physically engage with anyone. We believe that the police report, which includes video evidence, fully exonerates Coach Freeman and makes clear these accusations are totally unfounded.”
The Mishawaka Police Department on Sunday said in a statement that its investigation is complete and a report was given to the St. Joseph’s County Prosecutor’s Office to determine whether charges will be filed.
According to the Tribune, the incident allegedly occurred after Vinny Freeman lost his match and was being escorted out of the gym by his father and Penn High School coach Brad Harper. That’s when Fleeger allegedly began to “exchange words” with the group, according to the newspaper.
Once in the hallway, Fleeger and Freeman’s wife, Joanna, were shouting at each other before local law enforcement and Mishawaka school officials separated the two groups, according to the Tribune.
Freeman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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