Minnesota's Reggie Lynch won't play while appealing finding of alleged sexual misconduct
Minnesota center Reggie Lynch has been suspended from playing for the school's basketball team because of an alleged violation of the university's sexual misconduct policy.
An investigation by the university's Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Office was launched after an accusation came last fall from a woman who said the Gophers center assaulted her on April 28, 2016, in his dorm room.
The office determined Lynch should be suspended from campus until Aug. 1, 2020. Lynch reportedly had decided to appeal by requesting a hearing by the Student Sexual Misconduct Subcommittee, which would determine its own decision. Without an appeal, the ban stands.
Lynch will remain enrolled in school and practicing and training with the Gophers until the process is completed.
Athletics director Mark Coyle defended his decision to allow Lynch to remain a member of the team.
"People should trust the procedures that we have in place," Coyle said Friday at a news conference at Williams Arena. "We have procedures that have been reviewed by outside agencies. We have procedures that people have focused on and worked on to a fault. Those procedures include providing due process for everybody involved."
The investigation is the second that the EOAA office launched against Lynch during his time on campus. He was previously cleared by the university after an allegation of sexual assault against a 19-year-old in May 2016; Lynch was arrested for that allegation, but it was ultimately determined -- by the EOAA -- that it was more likely than not that Lynch reasonably believed sex with the woman was consensual.
After the Hennepin County Attorney chose not to charge him and the EOAA investigation cleared him, he was reinstated in time for the 2016-17 season.
Lynch went on to set a single-season blocks record at Minnesota last season and was honored as the Big Ten defensive player of the year. The senior center is averaging 10 points, eight rebounds and four blocks a game for the Gophers this season. He transferred from Illinois State after playing two seasons with the Redbirds.
"We do a lot of background," head coach Richard Pitino said, "and we never saw any red flags."
Messages made by Paste BN Sports to Minnesota's athletics department and Lynch's attorney were not immediately returned.
Contributing: The Associated Press
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