Hazing ugliness has struck again. This time in college baseball. It has cost the St. Olaf (Minnesota) College team the rest of its season.
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported the incident took place the weekend of Feb. 28 at a school cafeteria:
A formal investigation by the Northfield college and its independent counsel found that team members violated St. Olaf’s hazing policy in actions that took place both on and off campus the weekend of Feb. 28. The college also said that team members attempted a cover-up.
St. Olaf released a statement Friday that described the events only in general terms, saying they involved “ridicule, harassment and public displays of servitude,” as well as underage students drinking alcohol.
School officials confirmed that the on-campus incident involved younger team members having to serve older team members during a meal in the school’s cafeteria. The nature of the off-campus hazing remained unclear.
Steve Blodgett, St. Olaf’s communications director, said most of the team members were involved in the hazing. He said college administrators learned what happened through student messages on the social media app Yik Yak, which allows users to remain anonymous.
“Violations were compounded by an orchestrated attempt to deceive college officials and the outside investigator and prevent them from learning what had happened,” the release said.
The baseball team was 6-6 before its season ended.
In 1999 St. Olaf canceled its men’s tennis season after drinking at an on-campus party sent a student to the hospital.