Butler Women's Soccer Players Accuse Former Trainer of Sexual Assault in Lawsuit | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Three Butler University women's soccer players filed lawsuits Wednesday in relation to allegations that former team trainer Michael Howell sexually assaulted them.

According to Josh Peter of USA Today, the lawsuits were filed by two current players and one former player against Butler University, Howell and Butler's senior associate athletic director for student-athlete health, performance and well-being Ralph Reiff.

The women are suing for negligence, gross negligence, battery, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Howell allegedly administered massages to women's soccer players that lasted "multiple hours," and in at least one case included him "forcefully" rubbing a player's groin and pubic area, resulting in bruising.

The lawsuit states: "Multiple versions of this and other gross misconduct were perpetrated upon Ms. Doe, causing her substantial emotional, physical, and other injuries and damages. Unfortunately, Howell perpetrated similar misconduct on other athletes.''

Some of the massages given by Howell allegedly took place inside his private hotel room at away games as well.

Butler University investigated Howell when allegations emerged in September 2021. He was initially suspended and then fired in the summer of 2022 when Butler determined he was "responsible for violating university policies."

Six women reportedly came forward with allegations of misconduct and also told school officials Howell secretly videotaped and took photos of student-athletes.

In a statement released Thursday, Butler University said the following regarding the lawsuit against the school:

"The health, safety, and well-being of our campus community is always our top priority. ... Butler looks forward to the opportunity to show the high integrity and responsiveness of the coaches and senior personnel. Because the complaints do not name the plaintiffs and they have not waived federal student privacy protections, Butler is limited from further comment outside of the legal process."

Butler hired Howell as an assistant athletic trainer in 2012, and he went on to work with several of the university's sports teams.

In addition to women's soccer, Howell worked with the baseball, men's and women's golf, men's tennis and cheerleading teams.

The Butler women's soccer team, which plays in the Big East Conference, reached the NCAA tournament in both 2015 and 2017.