Former teammate claims doping and sexual abuse at US Christian University

Huntington University (HU), a small Christian school in northeastern Indiana, has been at the center of some frightening allegations. Indy Star reported on Tuesday. The school’s women’s running team has won two national champions in cross-country, won the national team title in indoor track in 2020, and won the National Association of Inter-College Athletics (NAIA) Program of Athletics in 2021. He has earned notoriety for being named The Year and barely landing. Fastest High School Miler in U.S. History, Addie Wiley2022.

here our @EverythingTF @Naia National Athlete of the Week October 3, 2022!

M – Jason Bowers @cutrack_field
W – Addie Wylie @HU_ sports

The duo performed Live in Lou Cross Country Classic!https://t.co/PLJzVw9pCE pic.twitter.com/i2Iuw8xdnu

—USTFCCCA (@USTFCCCA) October 3, 2022

With 1,428 students, the school may have produced and attracted top athletes (called Foresters), but the former runner shared that he experienced a cult-like atmosphere surrounding his former coach. I’m here. Nick Johnson. Runners alleged emotional and physical abuse, pressure to take unidentified drugs and injections (sometimes by force), and sex between Nick and two athletes he coached. There is

Claims and Litigation

The allegations come from interviews with four former Huntington runners and 20 other sources familiar with the program by athletes and journalists. David Woods and from the affidavit of presumed cause in the 2020 criminal lawsuit filed against Johnson. Woods also obtained his 48 pages related. police report Through public records and 40,000-word documents written by former student-athletes Hannah Stoffel.

Lawsuit filed Friday on behalf of Stoffel and former student-athlete Emma Wilson Women have stated that they are victims of coaches. Larry NassarWhile acting like Lance ArmstrongA Tour de France pharmacist is injecting an unknown substance into their bodies.

The 33-page lawsuit alleges criminal conduct by Johnson and negligence by his wife. Lauren Johnsonassistant coach Curtis HinesHuntington College, and other school officials.

According to the complaint, the doping program at Huntington Albert Salazara track coach famous for being sanctioned for doping violations.

Who are Nick and Laura Johnson?

Nick, 35, grew up in Huntington, ran for the Foresters, and graduated from HU in 2009. Johnson said he was hired to coach cross-country and track at HU in 2018, but was fired in 2020 after he was arrested on four felony charges related to women’s heights. school student. In 2021, Johnson pleaded guilty to a felony of identity theft, and he served 30 days of a two-year prison sentence.

roller, 35 years old, succeeding her husband as a cross-country coach at Hokkaido University, now in her second year. She is the first female coach to lead the program. Laura is a national track and cross-country athlete, and she represented the United States in the 1,500m event at the World Championships in Beijing.

what happened now?

The lawsuit by Stoffel and Wilson has been filed in civil court and seeks monetary damages. No criminal charges have been filed against anyone in connection with the new allegations in the lawsuit. Huntington Police have confirmed they received a report of Stoffel and suspected use of performance-enhancing substances within a cross-country program. Jeremy Nickssaid a Huntington County prosecutor. Indy Star Additional investigations are underway.

HU released a short statement on Tuesday. Huntington University is conducting due diligence but is unable to comment further at this time. ”