Methodist College Football Players Accused Of Hazing Will Not Face Expulsion

Seven players have been charged in the Nov. 11 incident, whichtook place in the team's locker room after practice and left thevictim with minor injuries. Campus officials said they believe thesituation began as horseplay but then escalated.

"This entire situation has been both sobering and disturbing,"Methodist President M. Elton Hendricks said in a release Thursday.

The release said Dean of Students George Blanc had conducted aninvestigation into the allegations before deciding on thepunishments. The school did not name the five players who weredisciplined.

One player was suspended for the remainder of the academic yearand has been placed on a "withdrawn failing" status for allclasses.

Four others are prohibited from future participation inMethodist College athletics, required to perform community service,required to formally apologize to the victim and must enroll in acounseling program. Three of them were also assessed monetaryfines.

The cases against two players are still being reviewed, theschool said.

"This incident is completely out of character with the missionand beliefs of Methodist College. What resulted should not occur incivilized society, and certainly not in an academic community,"Hendricks said.

Antonio Wilkerson, 21, a senior wide receiver from Ocala, Fla.,was charged last week with second-degree sexual offense.

Wilkerson also faces a misdemeanor count of hazing, along withCrasten Davis, 23, a junior linebacker from Mebane; Angel Garcia,21, a senior linebacker from Tampa, Fla.; Jamaal Legette, 21, asenior defensive end from Jacksonville, N.C.; William McPhaul, 21,a senior linebacker from Fayetteville; Shawn Watkins, 21, a seniorlinebacker from Bethany Beach, Del.; and William Jamar Brown, 21, asenior defensive back from Auburndale, Fla.

Methodist College, a private liberal arts school, opened in 1960and has almost 2,000 enrolled students.