Hollis announced his retirement on Friday morning
EAST LANSING – Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis said he was not aware of any abuse allegations against Larry Nassar prior to 2016 and defended his decision making amid what he said was limited information about the school’s former sports doctor.
As he announced his retirement on Friday in a conference room adjacent to his office on campus, Hollis offered his first extended public comments about the Nassar scandal.
On Friday, he said he first found out about the abuse allegations when the Indianapolis Star published an article detailing abuse allegations against Nassar. That statement echoes those he has made in interviews with the FBI and Michigan State University police.
Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis resigns amid Larry Nassar fallout
That article eventually led to more than 150 women accusing Nassar of sexual assault. Nassar was sentenced to 40-175 years in prison by an Ingham County judge this week. He is expected to be sentenced next week in Eaton County on similar first-degree sexual conduct charges.
The more than 150 women who detailed abuse allegations in victim impact statements included multiple former Michigan State athletes from multiple teams to which Nassar served as team doctor. Hollis said listening to those statements was the first he knew to what extent Nassar’s abuse included Michigan State athletes.
« Listening to those was the first time for many of us to know how many student-athletes at least that came forward in that process, » Hollis said. « What it really showed to me was the expansive path of evil that he had. Way beyond MSU and way beyond East Lansing.
Hollis said he was not made aware of any the complaints against Nassar or of investigations into his conduct. That list includes a 2014 Title IX investigation that eventually cleared Nassar, multiple police investigations into his conduct, or allegations made to multiple trainers and former gymnastics coach Kathie Klages dating back to the 1990’s, before his time as athletic director.
Hollis said given his limited information, he stood by any decisions he made regarding Nassar.
« I feel good with every decision I made at the time I made it based on the information I had available to me, » Hollis said.
Nassar worked with Michigan State athletes through a contract between the athletic department and the school’s medical school, Hollis said. He was not directly employed by the athletic department.
Two trainers who received reports of abuse by Nassar are also currently employed by the school’s athletic department. Hollis cited litigation when asked about those two trainers but also said he has been « asking for outcomes of those and have not received anything to this point. »
Hollis said he suspended Klages in 2016 after finding out from the school’s general counsel that she had been « extremely vocal » in her support of Nassar and asked athletes to sign sympathy cards.
Hollis said he will cooperate with any forthcoming investigations into Nassar and the school’s response to allegations, including by the NCAA and Michigan Attorney Generals’ office.
