Player admits making sexual assault comment

WOLFVILLE, N.S. — A member of a Nova Scotia university hockey team has taken responsibility for making comments that led to a bench-clearing brawl last weekend.

Acadia University’s Rodney Southam admitted to making a comment about sexual assault to an opposing player during a physical confrontation when playing against the St. Francis Xavier X-Men on Saturday night.

Southam claims in a statement issued late Thursday night to have been unaware that Sam Studnicka, the target of his comment, has a sexual assault survivor in his family.

“Immediately after my comments to Sam, I realized something more was happening because of the reaction from the team and surrounding coaches,” said Southam. “I know when this was said that the linesman heard it and so did the X-Men players on their bench. I take full responsibility for saying something I should never have said.”

Southam claimed he told Studnicka “You look like a little (expletive) rapist.” Minutes later, Southam and Studnicka were to take a faceoff against each other, but after two false starts, the melee began.

The brawl led to five Axemen players, eight X-Men and both head coaches being ejected. Video of the fight went viral.

Atlantic University Sport launched an investigation and suspended the two head coaches and 15 players on Wednesday. During the investigation Southam told AUS executive director Phil Currie of his role in the incident.

Studnicka, through his university, said he had regularly been targeted with comments about sexual assault in his three years playing for St. FX.