Player accuses ex-Winona State coach Mike Leaf of making sexual advances

A Winona State player says that head coach Mike Leaf resigned after making sexual advances towards him.

Speaking on condition of anonymity to John Casper Jr. of the Winona Daily News' with six teammates present to offer support, the player says that Leaf, who led the Warriors for 17 seasons, left the program just six days after the incident.

According to the account in the Daily News, Leaf hosted the player at his house during the afternoon and evening, both drinking and serving the player, who is older than 18, alcoholic drinks.

The player said that at around 11 p.m. on June 20, a severely intoxicated Leaf made advances towards him and attempted to stop him from leaving to go back to his apartment.

After the player declined to stay, he walked home, but upon reaching his apartment, couldn't find his keys. After texting some friends, the player sat down against a wall and passed out from intoxication, but he said that he awoke to find Leaf standing over him, demanding that he return to Leaf's house.

After returning to Leaf's house, the player detailed the account to the paper:

The next thing the player remembered it was shortly after midnight and he woke up lying in Leaf’s bed, with Leaf breathing heavily in his ear. Leaf was touching his torso, his leg, his arm, and then began kissing his neck, the player said.

The player tried to rise from the bed, at which point Leaf held him and said, according to the player: "This isn’t what you think it is. You’re in my company. You’ll be fine."

The player broke free, gathered his things, and tried to leave. Leaf approached him and suggested they should each punch each other. Leaf swung at him three times, and missed each time, the player said.

Then, the player said, Leaf began to cry.

"He said, 'After all I’ve done for you and after all I've done for you guys,'" the player recalled. "He was calling us names. 'I've done this for you, I've taken all of you in. This is how you treat me.'"

The player said he left at around 12:30 a.m. to return to his apartment and filed a formal complaint with the Minnesota university the next morning.

According to the player, Leaf contacted him via text message the next morning, and they had a conversation in which the coach claimed to not know what happened. The player blocked Leaf's number after the exchange.

Winona State officials issued a statement late Friday, obtained by the Star Tribune, acknowledging that they received a complaint about Leaf on June 22 and are investigating. He was placed on administrative leave on June 23 and the coach resigned June 26.

"We commend students for being forthcoming when notifying the University about any complaint," said the university.