Rookie died after attending hazing event; alcohol a factor
The men’s volleyball team at St. Thomas University has been benched for the rest of the year after a rookie who attended a team hazing event died. Andrew Bartlett, 21, was found dead in late October, the result of an accidental fall. Police have ruled out foul play, but confirmed Wednesday that alcohol was a contributing factor.
After Bartlett’s death, the university investigated allegations that hazing was involved. While STU President Dennis Cochrane said hazing did not directly contribute to the accident, he said Bartlett, a rookie volleyball player, had been involved in a team hazing event the night of his death. “First-year players were identified and treated a little differently than the veteran members of the team. And as a result, that fits the definition of what hazing would be. That’s a concern to us. Obviously it’s a concern to everyone because this one had an eventual tragic outcome,” Cochrane said.
As a consequence the whole team has been suspended.