"Explosive Lawsuit: Shocking Sexual Assault Allegations Made Against Butler Women's Soccer Trainer"

Butler University soccer players file lawsuits alleging sexual assault by trainer.

Three female soccer players from Butler University have filed lawsuits against the university and former team trainer Michael Howell, alleging sexual assault. The lawsuits were filed by two current players and one former player, naming Howell and Ralph Reiff, Butler's senior associate athletic director for student-athlete health, performance, and well-being. The women are suing for negligence, gross negligence, battery, assault, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

According to the lawsuits, Howell allegedly conducted massages on the women's soccer players that lasted for "multiple hours." In one instance, he forcefully rubbed a player's groin and pubic area, resulting in bruising. The misconduct was not limited to one individual, as the lawsuit states that multiple versions of such gross misconduct were perpetrated on the victims, causing significant emotional, physical, and other damages. Some of these massages allegedly took place in Howell's private hotel room during away games.

Butler University launched an investigation into Howell when the allegations first surfaced in September 2021. He was initially suspended and later terminated in the summer of 2022 after the university determined that he had violated its policies. Six women came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct, also revealing that Howell had secretly recorded videos and taken photos of student-athletes.

In response to the lawsuit against the school, Butler University released a statement emphasizing its commitment to the health, safety, and well-being of its campus community. The university expressed confidence in the integrity and responsiveness of its coaches and senior personnel. Due to federal student privacy protections, Butler is limited in its ability to comment further on the case outside of the legal process.

Howell had been employed by Butler University since 2012, initially serving as an assistant athletic trainer. He worked with various sports teams at the university, including women's soccer, baseball, men's and women's golf, men's tennis, and cheerleading.

The Butler women's soccer team, a member of the Big East Conference, has achieved success in recent years, reaching the NCAA tournament in 2015 and 2017.

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