Michigan State Finds Former Football Coach Mel Tucker Responsible For Sexually Harassing Rape Survivor

Former Michigan State football coach Mel Tucker has been found responsible for sexually harassing prominent rape survivor and activist Brenda Tracy, according to USA Today.

Tracy accused Tucker on Sept. 10 of masturbating and making sexual comments without her consent during an April 2022 phone call. The university fired Tucker on September 27.  

Tracy — a rape survivor who has been educating athletes about sexual violence since coming forward with her experience in 2014 — had been invited to campus by Tucker three times, including twice to speak to the Michigan State players. She also served as an honorary captain for the Spartans during their spring game on April 16, 2022.

Tucker admitted to having a "personal relationship" with Tracy in a statement on Sept. 11 in a statement. Tucker said the phone call incident was a "mutual, private event between two adults" and added that she did not complain or hang up the phone during the call.

Tucker's lawyers submitted a letter on Sept. 10 that accused Tracy of having a relationship with both Tucker and Georgia Tech men's basketball coach Damon Stoudemire at the same time.

However, Michigan State deemed Tucker's counter-accusations less plausible, less consistent and less supported by the evidence than Tracy's, according to the report, according to USA Today.