Perhaps you've missed the story at Bad Jocks about Northwestern University's Women's Soccer team's hazing suspensions. It turns out that members of the Soccer team posted pictures of their initiation party on the community photo site Webshots. The pictures were available globally, but effectively hidden in plain sight, due to the vastness of the Internet. BadJocks discovered them, and similar pictures from several other schools, and the publicity has made national news.
We wondered if the twelve schools identified by Bad Jocks were the only ones online. It turns they're not; a little searching on the term "volleyball initiation" led us to a page devoted to pictures of the Salisbury University (Maryland) Women's Volleyball initiation party. Here's a sampling of the pictures, with the original captions...
"Hello I'm Lucy, and I have a condom on my head"
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mount me Marzocchi, turn that frown upside down! STUD!
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Stacey: "I BROKE MY HEAL!" Abbey: "ok, i know what I'm doing!"
We've confirmed that the students in the pictures are members of the Salisbury volleyball team. We contacted the university, and received the following statement from Dr. Michael Vienna, Salisbury University Director of Athletics, in regards to the pictures:
Salisbury University Athletics takes any hazing allegation seriously. We've just learned of the photos and will investigate. The University wants the best for all its students. It views athletics as a unique opportunity for teaching and learning. Part of the teaching opportunity is to continually educate and inform our student athletes about the dangers of hazing and that it is not tolerated at Salisbury University.
Like most universities, Salisbury addresses hazing in their student handbook. From the 2005-2006 Salisbury University Student Handbook
HAZINGHazing means doing any act or causing any situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into any student organization that operates under the sanction of Salisbury University.
A student found guilty of the University's hazing policy may be expelled. Alleged violations of the University's hazing policy also will be reported to the Wicomico County state's attorney office for possible criminal action.
We'll keep you updated on the results of their investigation.
Comments (8)
Other than the possible use... (Below threshold)1. Posted by epador | May 20, 2006 11:20 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Other than the possible use of drugs (I can't tell is the bong is loaded or not), I don't see anything that is "recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into any student organization that operates under the sanction of Salisbury University" so what's the big deal?
1. Posted by epador | May 20, 2006 11:20 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 20, 2006 11:20
2. Posted by Fred | May 20, 2006 11:57 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
yeah, this looks like a pretty tame University party to me. Unless there are other photo's?
2. Posted by Fred | May 20, 2006 11:57 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 20, 2006 11:57
3. Posted by Mrs. Davis | May 20, 2006 12:05 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I have a feeling this may endanger the mental health and financial sustenance of some of these young ladies if their fathers see the photos.
3. Posted by Mrs. Davis | May 20, 2006 12:05 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 20, 2006 12:05
4. Posted by Headzero | May 20, 2006 1:36 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
"Other than the possible use of drugs (I can't tell is the bong is loaded or not),"
Hellloooo - its a BEER bong and you can clearly see the beer.
Obviously you have never seen EITHER type of bong - thanks for sharing.
4. Posted by Headzero | May 20, 2006 1:36 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 20, 2006 13:36
5. Posted by Justin | May 20, 2006 2:48 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hell yeah! This is the freaking Volleyball edition of Girls Gone Wild. Was that Snoop Dogg in the background?
Beer bonging it rocks.
I am not sure what to say about this. Our society shows Girls Gone Wild commercials every damned night on Comedy Central. But if these girls were under 21, which judging by the fact that they are freshmen, and they were drinking at a University facility or as part of an organized team, Gary Barnett should be fired. Were there hookers involved?
Double standard here. And I think Title IX should provide the same type of sanctions. Fire the coach for not keeping his players in control.
5. Posted by Justin | May 20, 2006 2:48 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 20, 2006 14:48
6. Posted by Bill | May 21, 2006 10:50 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I see nothing wrong with these pictures. Everyone looks like they are having a good time.....I was under the impression that hazing involved making people do dangerous things against their will and none of that seems to be going on. If shirt signing and face painting are now considered hazing, so many teams around the country are in a ton of trouble. There is a huge difference between hazing and team bonding and this looks like nothing more than a team having fun.
6. Posted by Bill | May 21, 2006 10:50 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 21, 2006 22:50
7. Posted by Mrs. Hemmerburg | May 21, 2006 11:10 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
It looks to me like these girls are having a good time! I think that there is nothing wrong with these pictures. I wish when I was in college there were parties like this! Party on SU volleyball!
7. Posted by Mrs. Hemmerburg | May 21, 2006 11:10 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on May 21, 2006 23:10
8. Posted by Nicole | May 22, 2006 1:27 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
if you want to see HAZING.. why dont you go investigate teams that actually participate in it. The people on Salisbury University's volleyball team are all respectable and amazing girls who were trying to have a good time.
"Double standard here. And I think Title IX should provide the same type of sanctions. Fire the coach for not keeping his players in control."
If you did that for every coach in America whos team drank, the NCAA would not exist. I suggest that YOU sir take your head out of 1905 and realize that the times have changed. Drinking is not the problem, it is the teams that take it too far and take the chance of causing severe damage to a teammate. If you did any real investigating towards this issue you would clearly understand that in no way did they take it too far. People dress up. . and make fools out of themselves.. because its fun. If someone did not want to participate I am without a doubt positive that the other girls on the team would have no problem with them not joining in. It was a party. Take a look at these pictures closely.. do you see embarassment or resentment or any feeling of "peer pressure" in their faces? NO. That in itself should be enough to make you realize that you need to find better things to do with your time than try to ruin a volleyball teams reputation by publishing a ridiculous article on the not so well known wizbang. Good luck, maybe you could move up to Star tabloid magazine and write for them soon. Clearly it would be a step up from where you are now.
8. Posted by Nicole | May 22, 2006 1:27 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on May 22, 2006 01:27