Police Investigate Battery Allegation Against Notre Dame's Freeman

Mishawaka, Indiana police have investigated an allegation of battery against University of Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman following a confrontation at a high school wrestling tournament on January 3.

The incident occurred at the Al Smith Wrestling Invitational at Mishawaka High School, where Freeman was attending to support his son, Vinny, a senior wrestler at Penn High School. According to a police report filed by Chris Fleeger, an assistant wrestling coach at New Prairie High School, the altercation began after Vinny Freeman lost his match to Israel Sinnott, a senior from Hanover Central High School. As Vinny was escorted off the mat and out of the gym by his father, Penn head coach Brad Harper, and others, Fleeger reportedly exchanged words with the group.

Freeman allegedly made physical contact with Fleeger while walking through a doorway into the hallway, though the extent of the contact remains undisclosed. Freeman's wife, Joanna, then engaged in a shouting match with Fleeger. Local law enforcement officers and school officials intervened to separate the parties, and the Freeman family left the venue at the request of authorities.