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Earlier this month three University of Nebraska-Omaha hockey players were ticketed for misdemeanor disorderly conduct after allegedly fighting and making racial slurs outside an Omaha bar.
That report comes from Kevin Cole of the Omaha World-Herald, who states that the three players - senior forawards Matt White, Alex Simonsin and incoming freshman defenseman Preston Hodge - were not formally charged after police were called in after 2 a.m. on August 3rd. They do, however, face court appearances in September for being involved in an altercation with 26 year-old Lamar Triplett in the Old Market area of Omaha.
From the World-Herald article:
Witnesses told police that the hockey players had been harassing a small group of African-Americans with racial slurs and epithets.
Triplett said he and three friends were heading into the Stadium Bar when they encountered a group of about 10 men.
He said a man, identified by police as Hodge, stepped into his path and began taunting him with racial slurs and curse words.
"When we were walking up, I could tell something had been going on outside the bar because there were a lot of people around," Triplett said. "I heard someone (cursing) but I didn't think it was at me."
The disturbance escalated when Hodge allegedly pushed Triplett, who said he responded by hitting his attacker and knocking him to the ground.
Triplett, who maintained in the article that he was defending himself, was ticketed on suspicion of misdemeanor assault
The 25 year-old White led UNO in points as a sophomore and finished fourth in scoring last year with 34 points (16 G - 18 A). Simonson, 23, had 2 assists in 18 games. Hodge, who enters Nebraska-Omaha as a 21 year-old, spent last season with Dubuque and Sioux Falls of the USHL.
While the players haven't been formally charged, Nebraska-Omaha head coach Dean Blais made a statement that he was aware of the situation.
"We're still gathering information about what transpired," he said. "Once we've finished gathering all the facts, we'll be able to comment further."
Regardless, the allegations of fighting with the added component of racial slurs are very serious for the UNO players if true. Everything is just that - an allegation - right now, but it is a situation that should become more clear as additional facts are gathered.