Tennessee AD Dave Hart: Sexual assault unacceptable act

Published Feb. 25, 2016 2:42 p.m. ET

foxsports

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee athletic director Dave Hart held a news conference Thursday at the university, two weeks after a federal lawsuit was filed Feb. 9 in Nashville alleging that Tennessee mishandles assault complaints against athletes.

Hart said he has ''tremendous empathy and sympathy for alleged victims and all victims of sexual assault across the country.'' The AD says ''the chancellor has made this his top priority as many, many and should be all universities across the country.''

An amended complaint filed Wednesday stated former Tennessee football player Drae Bowles assisted a woman who said she had been raped by two other players and that later he was attacked by teammates and told by coach Butch Jones he had ''betrayed the team.''

Hart says, ''I trust butch Jones implicitly. I know who he is.''