PATCHOGUE, NY — A former member of St. Joseph’s University's baseball team alleges, in a lawsuit filed on Monday, that he was forced to strip naked, was beaten, and hazed by teammates during a trip, in a pattern of misconduct, Newsday reported.
The 18-year-old Manorville resident's suit names the university, the baseball team's head coach, Thomas Caputo, assistant coach Elliot Robles, and 30 unidentified team members, the outlet reported.
The suit does not allege the coaches took part in the incident, but rather that university officials were aware or should have been aware of prior hazing and did not properly supervise players or enforce the school’s anti-hazing policies, according to the outlet.
In a statement, university officials said they are aware of the lawsuit.
"While we take concerns raised by members of our community seriously, this matter is currently the subject of pending litigation," they stated. "Out of respect for the process, we are not in a position to comment on the allegations."
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