Coach ‘aware’ of recruit’s sex charge
Warning: graphic content
An internal investigation by Huskie Athletics is underway into a recruit joining the men’s volleyball program last season despite facing a sexual assault charge in Alberta.
Matthew Alan Meyer, who is from Prince Albert, was sentenced to two years in prison on Monday in Medicine Hat Court of Queen’s Bench after pleading guilty to sexual assault in connection with an incident in January 2016. When Meyer played for the University of Saskatchewan in the 2017-18 season, the charge had been laid but not yet proven in court.
Following a joint submission, Meyer was sentenced to two years in prison followed by three years probation. He admitted sexually assaulting a passed-out Medicine Hat College student at a house party on Jan. 17, 2016, the Medicine Hat News reported. He also admitted photographing her during the assault, pleading guilty to voyeurism.
U of S Huskies head coach Brian Gavlas, who declined to comment on Meyer’s guilty plea, said he knew of the accusation prior to Meyer joining the program.
“I was aware of the charge, yes. I wasn’t aware of what was happening,” Gavlas said. “We had talked briefly about the situation. We didn’t go into a lot of detail.”
When he and Meyer discussed Meyer joining the team, they discussed what would be best for him individually and for the team, Gavlas said.
“It became a choice and decision that for his time during this past year it would be best for him to be supported and part of a passion and a sport that he enjoyed and a group of guys that could support him ... Nowhere along the lines did we take anything that had happened in the past into account with his involvement with our team.”
Asked if he was worried about having someone accused of sexual assault join the program, Gavlas said he “would be concerned about the perception that would be out there, for sure.
“From my perspective as a coach and as a father, I thought being involved with our team and our program would be best at this particular stage in his life.”
In a statement, Huskie Athletics chief athletic officer Shawn Burt said the school “effective immediately” was conducting an internal investigation. He said Meyer was immediately removed from the team’s roster and “the circumstances surrounding the player are being reviewed” under Huskie Athletics’ code of conduct.
Gavlas, who took over as Huskies coach in 1992, said he has known Meyer since Meyer was 16. Gavlas said Meyer “made a very bad choice and decision with his actions and what he did for one night. And it’s cost him dearly.
“It’s obviously cost the victim. Please don’t get me wrong. I’m not being flippant about that situation, but I think people who are in my position have to do everything they can to give young adults and teenagers an opportunity to grow and develop and improve on their character and improve on their choices and improve on their lifestyles, whatever the case is.”
According to an agreed statement of facts filed in court Monday in Medicine Hat, the victim and a friend attended a house party at the MHC residence, where Meyer lived. She drank alcohol and neared the point of blacking out, at which time her friend laid her down on the living room couch to sleep, according to the Medicine Hat News.
She woke the next morning with the accused on top of her, touching her, masturbating, and penetrating her with his fingers and penis, all without her consent, according to the Medicine Hat News. She recognized
I know my words don’t mean anything to (the victim) and her family. But, I truly am sorry.
the sound of pictures being taken on a cellphone, and she pretended to be asleep out of fear of what the person would do to her if he found out she was awake.
The woman contacted police and went to a local hospital. After he was taken into custody, Meyer gave a statement to police admitting what happened. Investigators found on Meyer’s phone 147 images — some taken during the incident when the complainant awoke, and other images from an earlier assault against her when she was passed out.
Meyer — who was 18 years old at the time of the incident — apologized to the victim and her family, according to CHAT News.
“I know my words don’t mean anything to (the victim) and her family,” he said. “But, I truly am sorry.”
According to the Medicine Hat News, the young woman read her victim impact statement into the record, saying she is still traumatized. She said she became severely depressed following the incident and at one point attempted suicide.
“I believe that I am speaking for everyone who never had the chance,” she said.