By Deric Lostutter Updated 5:19 PM 9/4/15

Hocking College, located in Nelsonville Ohio, made headlines this summer when they allowed convicted Steubenville Ohio rapist, Trent Mays, not only to attend their college, but play for their football team. According to Hocking College employee who I spoke with, Trent Mays received preferential treatment, when prior to his recruitment, athletes were required to live in student housing, unless they were married.

A quick cross-reference of their student housing guidelines states:

“Any student who has been designated as a sexually violent offender, sexually oriented offender, sexual predator, child-victim predator, habitual sex offender, or habitual child-victim offender, or of any similar classification by any state or country, is not eligible for housing in any residence hall.”

According to the employee at Hocking College, Trent Mays is now the captain of the football team. The employee also goes on to state that “The football coach, and college president, are trying to cover it (rape) up.”

According to a Hocking College student, Trent Mays is not implicated in the crime, but 4 other men are, though they have not been named as of yet in the media. Local media in Nelsonville had plans to run the story today, but according to another student who has reached out to us, the officials are urging the victim to “recant” because of “bad press” and “football”





Our sources mentioned in this article has given us authorization to use our private conversations, with her name, and the names of other sources, redacted for verification.

In addition, sources now confirmed that Coach Al Matthews, is also the Hocking College Police Chief, which to most, would seem like a blatant conflict of interest should he be allowed access to case materials, files, or the victim herself. According to other sources, Hocking College has asked the city police department to handle the case for this reason.

HR Director/Risk Coordinator/Attorney confirmed in a public meeting that Coach/Officer Matthews has also canceled 3 Title IX training sessions, which would teach him and his players specific training in sexual harassment and possibly have prevented this attack.

I Spoke to Scott Danhart as a prospective student wishing to play football but live in off-campus housing, a plight of many students with less than adequate income. He informed me that it was against the rules, and I would be unable to play, not knowing that I knew Trent Mays had been allowed to play and live off campus.

I reached out to Hocking College via telephone for comment, and was transferred to Coach Al Matthews voicemail, who has yet to return our call.