Hurricanes reinstate Williams

The University of Miami formally acknowledged that the football program will reinstate safety Avantae Williams after the felony charges that resulted in his dismissal last month were dropped on Aug. 20.

Williams’ lawyer, Michael Etienne Jr., issued a statement last week saying the Miami Hurricanes were going to let Williams rejoin the team.

UM’s statement, which was issued through a spokesperson on Sunday evening, read: “With the State of Florida dropping criminal charges against Avantae Williams, the University of Miami Department of Athletics has decided to reinstate him to the football program.

“Despite the charges being dropped, we take all allegations of domestic violence very seriously. Therefore, the student-athlete will need to reach specific benchmarks in the areas of education, mentorship, and personal development in order to return to competition and remain as a member of the football team.”

Williams was back on Miami’s official online football roster Sunday evening, reassigned the No. 15 and listed at 6 feet, 198 pounds.

Williams was dismissed from the program on July 22 after he was arrested and charged with three counts of aggravated battery against his pregnant ex-girlfriend earlier that week, according to Miami-Dade County’s arrest records. Aggravated battery on a pregnant woman is a felony in Florida.

A copy of the arrest affidavit from July stated Williams got into a “verbal dispute” with his ex-girlfriend on July 21 before telling her to leave the apartment they lived in together.

The police report stated Williams grabbed her multiple times, threw her to the floor and threw her to the ground outside of their residence, causing her “to hit her head.” Williams’ ex-girlfriend, according to the police report, was transported to a hospital for further evaluation after sustaining “multiple” bruises to her arms and neck and having two broken fingernails.