Three Michigan State basketball players raped woman in 2015, lawsuit claims

In it, three men's basketball players are accused of raping a female student in 2015. The sexual assault of the 18-year-old student is said to have happened a week after the Final Four loss to Duke. The lawsuit says the counselor responded differently to the report once the student said her rapists played for the MSU basketball team.

Three ex-players pleaded guilty this past week to lesser charges stemming from a 2017 sexual assault of a woman in an apartment bathroom, according to the Washington Post. There, her roommate told her she did not know about a party. "She was afraid and seeing what was going on in the community - and that she would probably have more support now".

Two of the players drove her to an off-campus apartment, where she said she expected to find her roommate as well. The alleged victim agreed and asked for water, as she was incredibly thirsty. Speaking with ESPN on condition that she not be identified, she said she anxious they would be charged with underage drinking, and counseling staff did nothing to ease those concerns. She also at this time was "discombobulated" and "tried to send a phone text, but she could not control her thumbs to formulate a text". Then the first player allegedly pulled her into a bedroom and told her, "You are mine for the night".

She did not file a police report or a no-contact order against the players through MSU, claiming in the suit that she was never informed of that option. They also told her that her roommate that she was at the bar with was already on the way to the party. "At no time did she consent to the sexual activity", the lawsuit states.

The players allegedly led the victim back to a non-existent house party where they took turns raping her.

When the woman reported the rape to the Michigan State University Counseling Center on April 20, 2015, the female counselor helping her shifted upon learning that the alleged rapists were basketball players.

The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids - and does not name the woman or the players. After telling a counselor the assault involved three members of the basketball team, the staffer brought in another person into the room and they told her she could file a police report but she "faced an uphill battle that would create anxiety and unwanted media attention", the complaint said.

They said, in effect, "we have had many other students in the same situation who have reported, and it has been very traumatic for them.".

"Plaintiff was expressly told by MSUCC staff that "if you pursue this, you are going to be swimming with some really big fish", the suit says".

This caused the alleged victim to be so frightened, she decided not to report the rapes. She said she would see her attackers at the Brody Dining Hall, causing panic and flashbacks, according to the lawsuit.

The woman did not go to police and the lawsuit states she eventually sought "intense psychiatric treatment" stemming from the rape and remains on prescribed medication.

She also did not seek assistance from the school's Sexual Assault Program until 10 months later.

The lawsuit states the student became so traumatized and depressed by that exchange, she dropped out of MSU even explaining to officials she had been raped and had been suffering emotionally ever since. Three ex-football players also were charged a year ago with sexual assault.

A Michigan State spokeswoman declined comment Monday when contacted by the AP.

A Michigan State athletic department spokesperson referred questions on the lawsuit to the university's communications office.