March 10, 2019 at 01:26AM
GREENSBORO — N.C. A&T's cheerleaders won't return to action during the current basketball season.
An A&T athletics spokesman on Wednesday confirmed other media reports that the cheerleading team — benched since earlier this month — won't perform at upcoming men's and women's basketball games or the MEAC conference tournament next month.
Spokesman Brian Holloway said Wednesday that the university hopes the squad will be back for the football season in the fall.
"We're not punishing them," Holloway said. "We want to look out for their best interest with all of the attention that is going on."
A&T's cheer team hasn't performed since early February after a freshwoman cheerleader went public with allegations that a male senior, a former member of the marching band, raped her in the fall. The cheerleader said the team's two coaches brushed off her claims and didn't report them as required under federal law. She has demanded that both coaches be fired.
The News & Record doesn't identify victims of sexual assault.
The athletics department temporarily canceled cheer team practices and performances shortly after the allegations became known. That temporary suspension — A&T called it "a period of reduced activity" — was supposed to last until at least Feb. 19. Cheerleaders were notified this week that they would miss the rest of the basketball season.
Holloway said Wednesday that the university wants its cheerleaders "to be able to live a regular student life without all of the distractions."
A&T, meanwhile, said it is investigating the student's claims. Chancellor Harold Martin announced Feb. 13 that he is appointing a new campus committee to address sexual violence and widespread concerns among students that the university isn't properly supporting rape survivors.
Holloway said senior members of the cheerleading squad were honored last Saturday night at a home basketball game.
The cheer team wasn't previously scheduled to perform at home basketball games Saturday and next Thursday, which will be played during spring break.
Contact John Newsom at (336) 373-7312 and follow @JohnNewsomNR on Twitter.
GREENSBORO — N.C. A&T's cheerleaders won't return to action during the current basketball season.
An A&T athletics spokesman on Wednesday confirmed other media reports that the cheerleading team — benched since earlier this month — won't perform at upcoming men's and women's basketball games or the MEAC conference tournament next month.
Spokesman Brian Holloway said Wednesday that the university hopes the squad will be back for the football season in the fall.
"We're not punishing them," Holloway said. "We want to look out for their best interest with all of the attention that is going on."
A&T's cheer team hasn't performed since early February after a freshwoman cheerleader went public with allegations that a male senior, a former member of the marching band, raped her in the fall. The cheerleader said the team's two coaches brushed off her claims and didn't report them as required under federal law. She has demanded that both coaches be fired.
The News & Record doesn't identify victims of sexual assault.
The athletics department temporarily canceled cheer team practices and performances shortly after the allegations became known. That temporary suspension — A&T called it "a period of reduced activity" — was supposed to last until at least Feb. 19. Cheerleaders were notified this week that they would miss the rest of the basketball season.
Holloway said Wednesday that the university wants its cheerleaders "to be able to live a regular student life without all of the distractions."
A&T, meanwhile, said it is investigating the student's claims. Chancellor Harold Martin announced Feb. 13 that he is appointing a new campus committee to address sexual violence and widespread concerns among students that the university isn't properly supporting rape survivors.
Holloway said senior members of the cheerleading squad were honored last Saturday night at a home basketball game.
The cheer team wasn't previously scheduled to perform at home basketball games Saturday and next Thursday, which will be played during spring break.
Contact John Newsom at (336) 373-7312 and follow @JohnNewsomNR on Twitter.