LSU Football Assistant Frank Wilson In Good Standing Despite ‘Egregious’ Sexual Harassment Lawsuit – OutKick

LSU operating backs coach Frank Wilson stays in good standing with head coach Brian Kelly regardless of a latest sexual harassment lawsuit in opposition to him by former LSU affiliate athletic director for soccer recruiting Sharon Lewis.

“His standing right here is unchanged,” Kelly mentioned Wednesday when requested about Wilson at a press convention for the opening of spring soccer on Thursday.

Lewis alleged on March 3 in an modification to her 2021 sexual harassment lawsuit in federal court docket in Baton Rouge that Wilson confirmed her his genitals in her LSU workplace in 2013. Wilson was an LSU assistant coach from 2010-15 earlier than changing into a head coach at Texas-San Antonio after which at McNeese State.

“We all know of no lawsuit that has been filed relating to these allegations that had been made,” Kelly mentioned.

OutKick.com acquired a replica of the modification to that lawsuit with these allegations on Wednesday by Lewis’ authorized workforce at Larry English Legislation & Associates in New York Metropolis and Shreveport, Louisiana. The “amended criticism” was filed on March 3, 2022, with america District Court docket, Center District of Louisiana in Baton Rouge.

Lewis alleges within the amended lawsuit that a while in 2013 Wilson “got here into plaintiff’s workplace, closed the door and pulled out his erect penis and requested her to the touch it.”

Lewis says she reported the incident to affiliate athletic administrators Verge Ausberry and Miriam Segar, “they usually failed to research or take any motion,” the lawsuit says. Ausberry and Segar were each suspended in 2021 for not following proper procedure in different conditions and never reporting accusations of sexual assault by soccer gamers in opposition to feminine college students to their superiors.

“We take into account these as being egregious and easily allegations that had been unfounded, so it doesn’t have an effect on Frank Wilson and the person who we all know,” Kelly mentioned of what Lewis has charged in opposition to Wilson.

Kelly, who was employed as LSU’s new head coach on Nov. 29, employed Wilson on Dec. 7 from the top teaching place at McNeese State. Wilson had by no means beforehand coached below or with Kelly or with another new members of Kelly’s workers. Lewis’ authorized workforce responded to Kelly’s feedback late Wednesday to OutKick.

“Coach Brian Kelly is conscious Sharon Lewis filed an amended criticism in federal court docket alleging Frank Wilson sexually harassed her and one other sufferer,” English’s regulation agency mentioned in a press release. “Brian Kelly, LSU’s $100 million coach is knowingly defending a sexual predator.”

Lewis’ lawsuit additionally says Wilson kissed a feminine worker with out her consent in 2013, and after Lewis reported that, nothing was carried out. Lewis has mentioned she and different feminine pupil staff within the soccer workplace had been sexually harassed from 2012-16 with little carried out after studies had been made to LSU superiors.

“All people knew how Frank was,” an unnamed former LSU athletic division worker mentioned in a USA TODAY story on March 3. “It obtained to a degree the place we didn’t need any of the women working with him. I handled Frank’s sexual harassment for years, his feedback, his conduct. He all the time made, not solely me, however so lots of the ladies really feel so uncomfortable.”

However Kelly mentioned Wednesday, “We stand behind him (Wilson) firmly as a member of our workers.”

LSU president William Tate commented on March 7 in comparable vogue to Kelly regarding Lewis’ amended lawsuit on the Baton Rouge Press Membership.

“I’m not conscious of any prior allegations in opposition to coach Frank Wilson, and there’s no proof of any sort that I’ve seen that such allegations have been reported to LSU officers,” Tate mentioned.

“Dr. Tate has chosen to align himself with Verge Ausberry and Miriam Segar, who had been each suspended for subverting Title IX complaints within the athletic division over the phrase of three accusers of Frank Wilson,” English’s regulation agency mentioned in a press release on March 7. “Sharon Lewis is assured the information at trial will present Frank Wilson sexually harassed her and others and that LSU hid Ms. Lewis’ Title IX complaints in opposition to Frank Wilson.”

Kelly was additionally requested if knew of LSU reprimanding Wilson in 2012 after he broke NCAA recruiting guidelines whereas an LSU assistant in 2011. A 2011 letter from then-LSU athletic director Joe Alleva mentioned Wilson was “not forthright and sincere” in his testimony to the NCAA in regards to the violation. The NCAA’s Discover of Allegations to LSU two weeks in the past mentioned that the main violation of “lack of institutional management” was displayed by the LSU basketball and soccer applications over the time interval Wilson was an assistant coach.

“Relating to the recruiting violations, these I can’t touch upon, as you understand,” Kelly mentioned. “As a result of we’re nonetheless at present going by that course of with the investigation.”