Ex-Seton Hall baseball player blows whistle on program's 'sexual hazing rituals and toxic culture'
By ALEX RASKIN
Allegations of violent nude wrestling, masturbation rituals, coerced sexual exposure and even physical assault have been detailed by a former Seton Hall baseball player against the program in a hazing lawsuit obtained by Daily Mail.
Filed in a Long Island federal court by a former pitcher identified as 'John Doe,' the lawsuit accuses head coach Rob Sheppard and the New Jersey catholic college of ignoring complaints and failing to 'investigate or discipline the perpetrators, allowing the toxic culture to persist.'
Doe ultimately transferred to a lower-level Division IIII school, costing him 'a season of eligibility and… diminishing his visibility and professional baseball prospects,' according to his filing.
'What's going on in the locker room is some sick, sick stuff,' Doe told the New York Post.
'There's gotta be some accountability taken by the coach. He's gotta lay his foot down and take control of that whole situation and try to make things a lot better.'
Daily Mail has reached out for comment from both Sheppard and several school spokespeople. An attorney for Sheppard was not named on the federal court website.
Filed in a Long Island federal court by a former pitcher identified as 'John Doe,' the lawsuit accuses head coach Rob Sheppard (pictured) of ignoring complaints and failing to investigate
The Pirates are 24-30 under Sheppard on the season, which is more or less the usual for the middling Big East program. In this February picture, the team is seen before a game in Arizona
A school spokesperson did provide a statement to Daily Mail.
'Seton Hall is firmly committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment,' the school statement began. 'Upon learning of certain allegations earlier this year, the University promptly retained a nationally respected third-party investigator to conduct an independent and thorough review. As litigation is ongoing, we are unable to comment further at this time.'
In addition to Seton Hall and Sheppard, there are three individuals are also named as defendants, although they're only identified by their initials in the complaint.
One of those defendants, identified as J.D., is accused of demanding Doe expose his genitals to the team by allegedly saying: 'We've got to see what you've got down there.'
The plaintiff claimed in the filing that in September of 2024, he arrived in the team locker room to find his name listed alongside defendant A.S. on the whiteboard in anticipation of a wrestling match. Teammates cleared the locker room, where the 17-year-old Doe was dragged across the floor and later body slammed before being placed in a chokehold, according to the lawsuit.
Doe claims he spat blood and sustained suffered scars on his knees and elbows as a result of the wrestling match.
The plaintiff's father called Sheppard to report the hazing allegations and the coach reportedly promised to address the issue while maintaining the player's anonymity.
But according to the lawsuit, 'Seton Hall and Defendant Sheppard failed to investigate the complaint, discipline perpetrators, or implement corrective measures, allowing the hazing to continue unabated.'
Seton Hall head coach Rob Sheppard (40) provides lineup card to umpires before an NCAA baseball game against NJIT, Tuesday, March 11
What's more, the plaintiff was labelled a 'rat' in the team's group chat. One individual identified as J.T. accused the plaintiff of reporting the incident to Sheppard.
Doe claims he decided to transfer after being called a 'pussy' by teammates for refusing to take part in the 'Lotus' ritual, which involved masturbating in front of teammates, according to the filing.
The plaintiff is seeking a judgement worth more than $1 million as well as a requirement for Seton Hall to 'implement comprehensive anti-hazing training and enforcement protocols for all athletic programs.'
The Pirates are 24-30 under Sheppard on the season, which is more or less the usual for the middling Big East program.
Former Seton Hall players include ex-Red Sox star John Valentine as well as his teammate in Boston, 1995 American League MVP Mo Vaughn, as well as former Houston Astros star Craig Biggio.
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