(Don't) Play Ball at Davis - Part 2

We posted yesterday about the suspension of the baseball program at UC-Davis under somewhat mysterious circumstances.* While the suspension was officially announced, no explanation had been offered at that time. Various news articles since the announcement speculated about the possible cause. Now there is an official explanation: hazing. See below:

UC Davis chancellor confirms hazing is tied to suspension of baseball team, coaches

Joe Davidson, 7-16-21, Sacramento Bee 

Hazing allegations are at the root of why the UC Davis baseball program was placed on suspension Thursday by the school administration, according to a statement posted online Friday by UCD chancellor Gary S. May. May wrote to UCD faculty and staff and in a statement posted midway through a page on the UCD website under the headline “Checking in with Chancellor May: Onward Toward Fall”: “I know many of you have read or heard that we have suspended the baseball team pending an investigation. We are responding to credible allegations of misconduct primarily related to hazing. A thorough investigation is underway, and we will take appropriate action at the conclusion of the investigation.”

May concluded the statement with, “Let me be clear that whenever there are credible allegations of misconduct of any kind, the university will take appropriate steps to review those claims. The university has a posture of zero tolerance with respect to hazing. Our students’ health and well-being is our No. 1 priority.” UCD announced Thursday it had put its entire baseball coaching staff on leave, pending the investigation of “misconduct” within the program. In that statement from UCD’s news and media relations department, the school said, “The safety of students is of utmost importance to UC Davis. The university has learned of allegations of misconduct involving the varsity baseball team. The UC Davis Office of Compliance and Policy is investigating these allegations, and the entire baseball program has been placed on suspension pending the outcome of this review.”

UCD’s athletic department has said Aggies baseball players are not to talk to coaches during the investigation, which, according to the school, could stretch into the academic year. The UCD fall quarter starts Sept. 22...

Full story at https://www.sacbee.com/sports/article252848683.html.

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*http://uclafacultyassociation.blogspot.com/2021/07/dont-play-ball-at-davis.html.