Lawsuit against Baylor alleges 52 rapes by more than 30 players

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Baylor has been riddled by scandal since 2016. 

Luke Manderfeld

After months of fallout following news that Baylor — a fellow Big 12 school with Iowa State — turned a blind eye to sexual assault allegations against its football players, a new lawsuit alleges there were more than 50 assaults by multiple players over a four-year span. 

The suit, which was filed Friday by a former Baylor student — named Elizabeth Doe — who claims she was raped by two Baylor football players, names at least 52 instances of rape by 31 players from 2011-14, according to the Dallas Morning News.

The allegation is a large uptick from the number that Baylor officials have acknowledged — 17 assaults by 19 football players since 2011 — according to the Dallas Morning News.

The school has dealt with the scandal since midway through 2016. It led to the departure of former Baylor football coach Art Briles and former President Ken Starr. 

A 2016 internal investigation said assistant coaches and staff of the football program acted like “it was above the rules,” according to the Associated Press, and that the school ignored and didn’t protect accusers. 

“Baylor University has taken unprecedented actions that have been well-documented in response to the issue of past and alleged sexual assaults involving our campus community,” said Baylor President David Garland in a statement in response to the suit. “We have made great progress in implementing 105 recommendations to strengthen the safety and security of all students and restore faith in the university.”

The lawsuit also alleges the school “used sex to sell” Baylor to potential football recruits, including bringing underage visitors to strip clubs and bringing women to have sex with them, according to the Dallas Morning News. 

It was all a part of a “show ’em a good time” culture that was fostered under Briles, according to the lawsuit. Briles’ attorney, Ernest Cannon, denied Briles was involved in that type of culture. 

“If they were doing that it would be terrible, but they weren’t doing that. Art wasn’t involved in anything like that,” Cannon told the Associated Press. “Lawyers have great imaginations when money is involved. It’s really sad.”

The lawsuit also alleges the woman was raped by two Baylor football players in 2013. She reported the rape to Waco, Texas, police, but decided not to press charges, according to the Dallas Morning News. 

Campus officials didn’t investigate her allegation until 2015, according to the lawsuit.  

The woman, who was part of the Baylor Bruins, a club that hosted high school football recruits, alleges the Baylor football program encouraged the club to be available for sex, according to the Associated Press. 

Baylor allowed Briles’ assistant coaches to stay on staff during the 2016 season, but new coach Matt Rhule decided to let them go. Former offensive coordinator Kendal Briles — Art Briles’ son — and former defensive coordinator Phil Bennett have found other jobs at Florida Atlantic and Arizona State, respectively.