Big House.jpg

Michigan Stadium when it was undergoing renovations several years ago.

(File photo | The Ann Arbor News)

Fifteen University of Michigan students were arrested for unlawful entry after breaking into Michigan Stadium early Friday morning, police said.

U-M police were called to Gate 8 of the Big House, located 1201 S. Main St., at 3:32 a.m. after receiving reports that people were seen climbing inside the stadium, according to the university's crime log.

All 15 students were male and the stunt was part of a fraternity pledging activity, police said.

The students did not initially cooperate with officers, so rather than receive a warning, all 15 were arrested for unlawful entry, processed and released pending warrant authorization, according to police.

Police were not releasing the name of the fraternity involved.

The incident is the second fraternity pledging prank that has brought the attention of the police this week.

On Wednesday, members of a fraternity got in trouble for chopping down a 13-foot pine tree in the parking lot of the Industrial Operations and Engineering Building on North Campus.

The Michigan Daily reported that the tree was later found in the back of a pick-up truck at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house near Hill Street and Oxford Road. Twelve males could face larceny charges in that case.

It's up to the prosecutor's office to authorize charges in either incident, police said.

John Counts covers crime for The Ann Arbor News. He can be reached at johncounts@mlive.com or you can follow him on Twitter. Find all Washtenaw County crime stories here.