College Football Scandals Widen
DENVER, Feb. 18, 2004 — -- Katie Hnida made football history at the University of New Mexico in 2002 when she became the first woman to play in a Division I football game.
"Once I started kicking and it took off I really fell in love with the sport!" Hnida said in an earlier interview.
But now she says, in this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, that when she began her college career at the University of Colorado, she was sexually harassed, groped and raped.
"She was threatened by football players that are 100, 120 pounds bigger than her. [They] said, 'You know, don't ever tell anybody about this,' " said Sports Illustrated's Rick Reilly, to whom Hnida told her story.
The University of Colorado is just the latest school to be rocked by such allegations. The NCAA is now scrutinizing several colleges where those involved in football programs are accused of behaving badly.
In July 2003, an investigation revealed that football coaches at Alabama State University played ineligible players and paid for strippers to entertain recruits. The head coach has since denied those allegations.
Last month, the University of Minnesota's most-sought-after football recruit switched schools after his hosts took him to a strip club during a visit.
Brigham Young University is investigating a party for recruits involving sex and alcohol.
Peter Roby, who heads up the Center for Study of Sport in Society, blames the intense competition among schools to attract star athletes.
"They want to be able to bring the best possible recruits on campus, to give their coaches and teams the best chance of being successful, and as a result have a chance to cash in the best payday they can — bowl games and championships," said Roby.
And that, says sports psychologist Harry Edwards, is what leads many young athletes to feel entitled.
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