Notre Dame Football Coach Facing Battery Allegation Following Incident at Son's High School Wrestling Match

NEED TO KNOW

• Notre Dame head football coach Marcus Freeman has been accused of battery following an incident at an Indiana high school
• A high school coach filed a police report against Freeman after an altercation at his son's wrestling match
• Notre Dame has called the claims against Freeman "unfounded," adding that "video evidence fully exonerates Coach Freeman"
  

Notre Dame head football coach Marcus Freeman has been accused of battery after an altercation at an Indiana high school — and the university is firmly denying the allegations.

According to the South Bend Tribune, a police report was filed against Freeman, 40, following an incident that took place on Saturday, Jan. 3, at Mishawaka High School, located just outside of South Bend.

Freeman was attending the Al Smith Wrestling Invitational to support his son, Vinny, a senior who is headed to Cornell University.

The newspaper reported that the alleged incident involved Freeman and a New Prairie High School wrestling assistant coach, Chris Fleeger.

The incident began after Vinny lost a match and was being escorted off the mat by his father and his coach, and Fleeger then began "exchanging words" with the group," the Tribune reported, citing the police report.

By the time the group made it into the hallway, Fleeger and Freeman's wife, Joanna, were shouting at each other. Law enforcement and Mishawaka school officials then separated the two groups, according to the Tribune. Fleeger filed a report at the scene, and the Freeman family left the event.

The police report stated that "claims of physical contact allegedly occurred between Marcus Freeman and Fleeger," though officials did not disclose the extent of the alleged contact.

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ESPN also reported that the Mishawaka Police Department said on Sunday, Jan. 11, that its investigation is complete and a report was given to the St. Joseph's County Prosecutor's Office to determine whether charges will be filed.

Notre Dame Athletics has since denied all of the allegations against their head coach.

"Vinny Freeman, head coach Marcus Freeman's son, was verbally accosted during and after his wrestling match by a local wrestling coach," the university said in a statement sent to PEOPLE.

"Marcus and Joanna Freeman intervened and removed Vinny from the situation. At no point did Coach Freeman physically engage with anyone," the statement continued. "We believe that the police report, which includes video evidence, fully exonerates Coach Freeman and makes clear these accusations are unfounded."

Freeman is set to return as the Fighting Irish's coach for the 2026 season, though several NFL teams reportedly were interested in hiring him as coach.

Read the original article on People