Statement by Chancellor Jack Miller Re: Sanctions related to April 24 incident at WIAC baseball game
Released: May 12, 2004
“The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced further sanctions today related to the altercation between the UW-Whitewater and UW-Oshkosh baseball teams on April 24. As part of the resolution of this unfortunate incident, volunteer assistant coach Doug Henry will be suspended indefinitely beginning Friday, May 14. Since he is not an employee, there will be no monetary fines or loss of wages involved.
“While there are many contradictory accounts from the melee, it was confirmed that Coach Henry struck a student-athlete from UW-Oshkosh. Whether it happened inadvertently, in self-defense or was unprovoked may be of issue legally, and as such did not enable the Winnebago County District Attorney’s Office to press charges. Similarly, the district attorney was not able to find cause to press charges against Coach Tom Lechnir of UW-Oshkosh for his alleged assault on a UW-Whitewater student assistant.
“But those issues are not material as far as the university is concerned. The behavior is unacceptable regardless of circumstances and we believe the penalty for volunteer coach Henry is appropriate.
“The WIAC conference tournament begins on Friday and it is possible these two teams will compete again over the weekend. I met this afternoon with the entire baseball team to emphasize the serious consequences of such an incident ever occurring again with any team. Both universities and WIAC are placing a priority on preventing this kind of unsportsmanlike conduct in the future.”
- N & P Staff,npa@uww.edu
