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Former Wright State Tennis Players Sue the University

Near the eve of the upcoming tennis season, after a season long suspension last year, two former Wright State tennis players have filed a lawsuit against the university following their expulsion for alleged sexual misconduct.

Former tennis athletes Diego Venegas and Marc Sodini filed a lawsuit against Wright State University and Dr. Chris Taylor in his official capacity as the university’s Director of Community Standards and Student Conduct two weeks ago on six separate counts including infringing their rights to due process.

Venegas, who was a native of Columbia and formerly on a student visa was a sophomore at the time of his expulsion. The Wilmington, Ohio native and Organizational Leadership major, Sodini was seven weeks shy of graduation before he was expelled.

According to the lawsuit filed, both Venegas and Sodini attended meetings in which they were made aware of complaints made by other former tennis players against them.

Venegas was descried as, by two former teammates of “engaging in ‘poking’ and wrestling behavior”, where Venegas would poke his fingers into his fellow teammates’ rectums.

After meeting with the university’s Gender-Based Harassment and Violence Hearing Panel, Venegas was found responsible for violating Wright State’s Student Code of Conduct including deliberate touching of another’s sexual parts without consent and hazing.

When Sodini met with the panel, he too was met with similar allegations against him. The panel found Sodini responsible for four separate violations including bias related to incident, deliberate touching of another’s sexual parts without consent, verbal harassment, and hazing. Both Sodini and Venegas deny these allegations.

During the investigation, hearing, and appeal process into the allegations of the violations made against members of the Venegas and Sodini, members of the student body and tennis team advised Wright State that Venegas and Sodini were the victims of the same sexual misconduct. Venegas was also subjected to racial harassment. It is alleged that team members who filed the complaints also participated in “poking” behavior and the use of racial slurs.

Following the allegations the Wright State men’s tennis team suspended their season in January and two months following the expulsion of Venegas and Sodini and having seven other players ineligible due to student code of conduct violations Wright State cancelled the men’s tennis team’s spring season.

The full 22 page lawsuit cites six separate counts against Wright State University and Dr. Taylor, the first being denial of due process during the hearings.

In a statement from the university, “As with any student conduct matter, the university’s actions in this case have been consistent with established policies and procedures. It is the university’s practice not to comment on any matters that are the subject of pending litigation.”

The second count the lawsuit states that both Venegas and Sodini were denied their rights to freedom of speech. According to the lawsuit after meeting with Dr. Gary Dickstein, Wright State’s Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Kristie Rezanka, Wright State’s Assistant Director of Equity and Inclusion, Venegas was advised not speak to anyone regarding the investigation.

Sodini also attended a meeting with Dr. Dickstein as well as Matthew Boaz, Wright State’s Director of Equity and Inclusion and was also advised not to speak with anyone about the meeting. Specifically not to coaches, teammates, the Athletic Director, or faculty and staff at Wright State University.

The lawsuit also mentions the coaching staff’s involvement with the team, who had what was described as, “a team culture that included mutual horseplay and banter.”

“The coaching staff of the WSU Men’s Varsity Tennis Team observed, participated in, and did nothing to stop the alleged bias related speech. Defendants and other agents and employees of WSU,” according to the lawsuit.

Venegas and Sodini also argue in the lawsuit that Wright State, “did nothing to investigate, prosecute, or discipline the complainants for the alleged misconduct.”

Also during the hearing of Venegas and Sodini the lawsuit cites a lack of evidence for the two former tennis players and Wright State students. The lawsuit argues that there was a lack of evidence that would indicate that Venegas touched the accusers through the “poking” behavior as well as Sodini who feels there is no evidence indicating he participated in it as well as participating in what is described as a “bias related incident”.

Venegas and Sodini are demanding a jury trial and no court date has been set in the future. At this time no representative from Venegas, Sodini, or Wright State University could be reached for comment. The men’s tennis team will resume play with their season opening tournament at the Greater Cincinnati Invitational, this Friday, Sept. 16, in Mason, OH.

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