I don't know if this has been posted somewhere. but thought I would, Just when you think Notre Dame would celebrate making a bowl game after beating Army, now they have to deal with this story. I don't where this will all go, but Kelly maybe thinking what did I come into, first the Declan Sullivan death and now this. It's a sad story, but I wonder if the player is playing, it says he's still on the team. Could be intresting to see what comes out of this, if anything.
Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly on Sunday defended the way his program and the university handled a sexual attack allegation made against one of his players two months ago.
The allegations were made to Notre Dame police on Sept. 1 by a freshman from neighboring Saint Mary's college who apparently killed herself nine days later.
The player has remained on the football team. Meanwhile, his accuser's parents have hired a former federal prosecutor to look into Notre Dame's handling of the matter.
During a conference call with reporters Sunday, Kelly said the case was an institutional matter that does not fall under the football program's purview. The woman's accusation was first reported in Sunday's Chicago's Tribune
"Anything the article alleges is a university matter," Kelly said. "The process is to dispel rumors and misinformation and get to the facts. And that's what our university is doing."
Kelly declined to say whether he has spoken with the player about the allegation.
The coach has a sign posted in the football locker room reminding his team to treat women with respect. Stressing that he is also a father, Kelly said that rule — which he referred to as one of his "commandments" — has been a guiding principle during his coaching career.
"I can tell you emphatically that I want the right kind of guys," he said. "Those values are important to me. They have been the cornerstone of everything I've done in my football program, and I will continue to do that here at the University of Notre Dame."
Kelly declined to give a direct answer when asked if he supports his player in the face of the allegation.
"All I can tell you is I support within my program a value system and principles that I've articulated," he said. "Those commandments are important to me and those are things that I espouse on a day-to-day basis within our program."
Elizabeth "Lizzy" Seeberg, 19, a Northbrook native who had battled depression, apparently overdosed on prescription medication in her dorm room Sept. 10.
More than two months later, Notre Dame officials have declined to publicly acknowledge the case or say what actions have been taken to investigate her allegation.
On Sunday, university spokesman Dennis Brown said in an e-mail that "Notre Dame will never be silent or passive when it comes to the careful, thorough and fair determination of whether laws or university policies have been broken on our campus."
Brown added: "The Notre Dame Security Police Department is a fully authorized police agency that works closely and collaboratively with local law enforcement agencies, including the St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office."
The alleged attack occurred Aug. 31, the second week of classes at Notre Dame.
The Tribune is not identifying the football player because he has not been charged with a crime. He has not responded to e-mail messages seeking comment.
On Sunday, St. Mary's released a statement saying, in part: "At Saint Mary's College, the safety, security and well-being of our students are our top priorities. We take our responsibility to guide them through their four years at Saint Mary's very seriously."
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