Current Vanderbilt football player, former Commodore in NFL each facing separate sexual assault accusations; another former player expelled in 2019 for rape
By SDS Staff
Published:
Two Vanderbilt football players, one current and one former member of the team, have been accused of sexual assault. The accusations, involving separate incidents, were both made Saturday on social media. A report on the accusations also revealed that a former player was expelled in 2019 for rape.
Warning: The accusers’ linked posts contain graphic details
Erin Hardnett, a former sprinter and hurdler on the VU track and field team, accused former Commodores running back Khari Blasingame of rape in 2016, her freshman year on campus. Hardnett posted a Twitter thread early Saturday morning eastern time describing the incident and her injuries. Also on Saturday, she further detailed the encounter in a lengthy Medium post for The Vanderbilt Journal. The posts describe the two meeting at a party where alcohol was served and then returning to Blasingame’s dorm after the party. She writes that she told Blasingame to stop during the alleged rape. After leaving his dorm, she details going to the Vanderbilt Medical Center bleeding heavily.
Blasingame is a current member of the Tennessee Titans. His agent issued a statement on the accusation:
— Nate Litwin (@natelitwin) June 20, 2020
Current Commodore defensive back Randall Haynie is also being accused of sexual assault. Haynie’s accuser does not use her full name on Twitter. In a thread of tweets, she writes that the incident occurred in her dorm room during her freshman year when the two had agreed to watch a movie. In her accusation, she says Haynie forced himself onto her after the movie, writing that the experience was traumatizing. Haynie’s accuser writes she is entering her final year at Vanderbilt.
Per Vandy247, Vanderbilt athletics issued the following statement:
“We are deeply committed to ensuring the safety of each and every member of our Vanderbilt community. Acts of sexual assault and sexual misconduct in any context are totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Any reports of sexual misconduct are forwarded to the Title IX Office for follow-up.”
An updated Vandy247 report on the new allegations adds Title IX documents show that former outside linebacker Charles Wright was expelled from the university in February 2019 for raping team equipment manager Regan Siems in February 2018. Siems provided the Title IX documents to Vandy247.
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