After the revelation that UCLA strength and conditioning coach
E.J. “Doc” Kreis was named in connection to a Denver
civil suit against the University of Colorado, the Bruins’
coaching staff and players remain supportive.
The suit was filed Monday in Boulder by a former CU student who
alleges she was gang-raped by Buffalo football recruits in 2001.
She claims in the suit that there was “deliberate
indifference, after actual notice” to the the university of
the risks of sexual assault within its football recruiting program,
according to the Rocky Mountain News.
With knowledge of the suit first surfacing on Tuesday, the
coaching staff acknowledges not knowing about it before hiring
Kreis, though they maintain they are not concerned by the
revelations.
“I didn’t know about (Kreis’ connection with
the civil suit),” coach Karl Dorrell said. “But as far
as I know of that situation from afar, it appears to be more that
they’re trying to get a case together for a civil suit.
“As to (Kreis’) involvement, I don’t think it
was anything significant. So I’m not anticipating any issues
coming out.”
The suit says campus police Lt. Michelle Irving believed Kreis,
a former CU coach, had helped organize the story players allegedly
involved would tell police, the Rocky Mountain News and The
Associated Press reported.
“(Kreis) then was the kind of pipeline to the rest of the
coaches,” Irving testified, according to the motion as
reported by the Rocky Mountain News.
Dorrell said that had he been given any prior notice of the
suit, there would have been no changes in his choice to hire Kreis
over the summer.
“I’m sure it would (have some affect on the hiring
process),” he said. “But with all our due diligence
that was done when we looked into him coming here to be our
strength coach, this wasn’t something that was of issue at
the time.”
Kreis, who came to UCLA after being dismissed from CU, has been
very well received by the players ““ many of whom credit him
with increasing their strength and conditioning.
“Kreis is a great man, and a great person. He points us in
the right direction,” offensive guard Eyoseph Efseaff
said.
“I don’t know much about (the civil suit), but
that’s not the Doc we know.”
The UCLA Athletic Department said Kreis would not be available
for comment Wednesday.