NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State University has reached a settlement in a lawsuit against the college for claims of sexual assault and hazing problems in NSU's Division I football team.
NSU football player, Shawn Fahey, went public regarding the claims in early May. Another former Norfolk State University football player also claims he was hazed and sexually assaulted by other members of the team.
The former player, identified only as "John Doe," filed a Title IX lawsuit against the school.
The lawsuit alleged after being recruited to play for the team in June 2021, John Doe was befriended by other members of the team, including an upperclassman who let Doe use his car and invited him to meals and parties with other players. The lawsuit says the hazing began with "crotch grabbing and voyeurism" and led to an attempted rape.
According to the lawsuit, NSU's football coaches knew that the hazing was going on and ignored it, which perpetuated rape culture within the team. It claims that one coach said, "They were teammates," and, "They were doing it to each other."
On Friday, NSU reached a settlement in the lawsuit.
According to a statement from the university, Norfolk State University (NSU) and Shawn Fahey have reached an agreement to resolve the concerns and claims regarding NSU’s football program and NSU’s response to those claims. NSU says Fahey has accepted the efforts made by NSU to listen to and address the concerns raised following his brief tenure as a member of the NSU football program.
The settlement resolves all outstanding claims against NSU in this matter, the statement reads.
