Cornell Details Lacrosse Team Hazing

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell officials say the hazing that resulted in the cancellation of the men's lacrosse team's fall season included underclassmen being made to chug beer to the point where some of them vomited.

The university announced last week that the team's fall games were canceled after an investigation determined that upperclassmen had hazed freshman players.

According to a report posted on Cornell's hazing website, freshmen were expected to perform menial tasks and other duties for upperclassmen. The report says the team held a party featuring a "keg race," during which freshmen were challenged to drink large amounts of beer in a competition against other team members.

College officials say the freshmen were made to stand in a circle and drink beer to the point where "multiple members vomited."

Cornell went 14-4 last season and lost to eventual national champion Duke in the NCAA semifinals.

Rob Pannell, who played at Cornell from 2008-13, denied in a phone interview last week with Bloomberg news service that hazing had taken place while he was with the team.

"In my five-plus years as a member of the Cornell lacrosse family, I can confidently say that no hazing took place," he said. "We're a program many teams on campus strive to be like
ESPNCollegeSports.com
9/23/13