This article contains descriptions of assaults that are sexual in nature. If you or someone you know experiences sexual violence, or any form of sexual assault, you can find local support via La Piñon’s 24-Hour Crisis Hotline at 575-526-3437 or go to www.lapinon.org.

Recent hazing allegations have resulted in a shutdown of New Mexico State’s men’s basketball program for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.

NMSU chancellor Dan E. Arvizu called for an immediate suspension of the program late Saturday night.

“Today I am announcing my decision to suspend operations for our men’s program for the remainder of the season,” Arvizu said in a statement on Sunday. “This action is clearly needed, especially after receiving additional facts and reviewing investigation reports related to the hazing allegations. It’s time for this program to reset.”

Three NMSU players have been in the midst of an investigation regarding hazing allegations against a fellow teammate with reports from the victim dating back to July and August of 2022, and as recent as Feb. 6, 2023 per source. No names have been released.

This marks the second active current investigation this season within the men’s program including the fatal shooting that took place in Albuquerque late last year, involving NMSU forward Mike Peake and four University of New Mexico students.

An NMSU police report states the victim went to campus police to file an assault charge but did not want to pursue criminal charges. The report cites three players in three different offenses: two counts of sexual harassment, one count of false imprisonment and one count of harassment.

In a witness report, allegedly the victim states, “held him down with him facing down, removed his clothing exposing his buttocks and began to ‘slap his a**.’” He also went on to state that the alleged offender(s) also touched his scrotum. The victim states that all of these events took place inside the locker room at the Pan American Center and on road trips.

The Aggies (9-15) under Greg Heiar is his first year as head coach, has five Western Athletic Conference games remaining and those results are pending on how the WAC will determine those outcomes.

Stadium’s Jeff Goodman was first to report.

This is a developing story and will be updated.