‘HEARTBROKEN’

New Mexico State University Suspends Men’s Basketball Over Hazing Claims

The allegations came months after a NMSU player killed another college student in self-defense.

New Mexico State University’s chancellor said he suspended the men’s basketball program after being “heartbroken and sickened to hear” of hazing allegations. “The most important job I have as Chancellor of the NMSU System is to ensure our students are safe and protected from harm,” chancellor Dan Arvizu wrote to the school community on Saturday. The suspension, and an ongoing internal investigation, came after multiple allegations of hazing, which followed a November shooting involving NMSU forward Mike Peake that killed a University of New Mexico student. The school said the new allegations are unrelated. Just before Arvizu’s letter came out, two NMSU players—Shahar Lazar and Kent Olewiler—said they would leave the team. “The board supports the action taken by the university leaders and is confident a full and thorough investigation will be conducted,” the NMSU Board of Regents told CNN.