A prep wrestling coach has accused Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman of battery following an incident at a high school meet on Jan. 3.
The South Bend Tribune, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported on Sunday, Jan. 11, that New Prairie (Indiana) High School assistant wrestling coach Chris Fleeger filed a police report last week alleging Freeman made physical contact with him in a hallway after Freeman’s son Vinny — a senior at Penn High School — lost his match.
According to the Tribune, Freeman, his son and Penn head coach Brad Harper were leaving the gym when Fleeger allegedly began exchanging words with the group. Per the Tribune, Fleeger and Freeman’s wife Joanna ‘engaged in a shouting match’ before local law enforcement officers and school officials separated everyone.
‘Vinny Freeman, head coach Marcus Freeman’s son, was verbally accosted during and after his wrestling match by a local wrestling coach. Marcus and Joanna Freeman intervened and removed Vinny from the situation,’ Notre Dame said in a statement. ‘At no point did Coach Freeman physically engage with anyone. We believe that the police report, which includes video evidence, fully exonerates Coach Freeman and makes clear these accusations are totally unfounded.’
Mishawaka (Indiana) Police investigated and turned over the completed report to the prosecutor’s office to determine if any charges will be filed.