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Report: Oregon’s Bigby-Williams played last season while under investigation for alleged sexual assault

Dana Altman

Dana Altman

AP

An Oregon junior played all of the 2017-18 season while under investigation for alleged sexual assault, according to a report from The Daily Emerald.

Kavell Bigby-Williams was accused of sexually assaulting a female in mid-September and has been under investigation since Sept. 19, according to the report. The report states that Oregon coach Dana Altman “athletic director Rob Mullens, and other athletic department staffers were aware UOPD requested Bigby-Williams’ contact information, but nobody asked why UOPD wanted to speak to him or the nature of the case,” citing an athletic department spokesperson.

Bigby-Williams announced via social media Tuesday that he would transfer to LSU.

The news of the investigation is particularly noteworthy because Altman and Oregon came under intense scrutiny in 2014 when it became known that three players - Dominic Artis, Damyean Dotson and Brandon Austin - played in the NCAA tournament while under investigation for sexual assault. Charges against the three were ultimately dismissed.

NBC Sports’ Rob Dauster revisited the incident this past March in a column while the Ducks made their first Final Four in over 70 years, pronouncing that Altman should have lost his job over it.

The 6-foot-11, 230-pound Bigby-Williams played in all but two of Oregon’s games last season, including each of their NCAA tournament games, averaging 3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 9.8 minutes per game.

Update:

Oregon released the following statement Thursday:

Recent media coverage of an allegation of sexual assault by a former member of the UO’s basketball program has created some questions about the university’s response. The University of Oregon takes very seriously any allegation of sexual assault or misconduct regardless of whether it involves a student athlete.

In most cases involving an accusation of sexual assault, it is impossible and inappropriate to publicly disclose details to protect the rights of victims and those who report violations under Title IX, to comply with federal student privacy laws, and to provide those accused with appropriate due process.

This was a scenario that stemmed from a law enforcement inquiry by the Northern Wyoming Community College police. UO police have no jurisdiction in Wyoming, and it would be inappropriate for the UO to provide details on an inquiry led by another law enforcement agency.

The UO Police Department was contacted in the fall of 2016 to assist the NWCCD police in an interview with Kavell Bigby-Williams. UO athletics assisted UOPD in contacting Bigby-Williams, who declined to be interviewed through his attorney. That information was provided to the NWCCD Police Department.

Information detailing allegations was not shared with the coaching staff to protect integrity of the inquiry. The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics’ only role was to provide contact information for the player and to coordinate with the university’s Title IX coordinator.

University processes, then as now, involve communication between campus police, the Title IX office and athletics administration to determine whether there is a risk to the campus community that requires immediate action. In September 2016, there was insufficient information to warrant interim action. Since September, UOPD has received no further information or requests for assistance from the NWCCD police suggesting the inquiry had advanced in any way.