Kent State finds no Title IX violations after women’s field hockey match halted for football fireworks
The match occurred Sept. 7 between the Temple University and the University of Maine women’s field hockey teams at Kent State.
KENT, Ohio — Kent State University on Friday issued a statement following its investigation into a field hockey match that was halted prior to its completion last month.
The match occurred Sept. 7 between the Temple University and the University of Maine women’s field hockey teams at Kent State. The match was scoreless in overtime when a Kent State official called the game and asked everyone to vacate the field, because the university needed to set up fireworks on a nearby field as part of the Kent State football team’s pregame festivities.
A university official made the announcement that the match would resume seven hours later, according to CNN. However, Temple University couldn’t stick around due to its travel schedule.
CNN reports that the match had to be ruled an exhibition game, as the NCAA requires Division I teams to report an official outcome.
According to Kent State, its internal investigation found no Title IX violations or evidence of gender-bias.
“It was noted that a similar scheduling situation occurred in 2016, and in that case, the field hockey match continued, and fireworks for football were canceled. The current case involved new and different personnel and has provided an important opportunity to assess and improve our procedures and communication,” read a statement issued by university President Todd Diacon.
The statement continued, “The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is conducting a full review of home scheduling to identify potential conflicts and to ensure conflicts are resolved and communication with visiting teams is clear and complete. The department will continue to consider the implications of the report and take action as needed to keep the university’s core values and commitment to students at the forefront in decision-making.”
Kent State issued an apology in the days that followed.
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