Aug. 17, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports

LOS ANGELES -- At least one member of the top-ranked Southern California football team is under investigation for sexual assault, the Los Angeles Police Department said Tuesday.

The assault allegedly occurred Monday morning, according to Officer Esther Reyes, a police spokeswoman.

"Today the rape special section of LAPD's robbery division began conducting an investigation into the allegation of a sexual assault that may involve a member or members of the USC football team," Reyes said.

She declined to elaborate. Neither police nor the university would identify which player or players were involved.

"It's clearly inappropriate to talk about it. I don't have a lot of information right now, so to speak in any direction is just not right," coach Pete Carroll said. The coach added he spoke to his players about the investigation.

"I've just let them know what we know, that there's an investigation going on," Carroll said. "They're not able to comment because they don't have any appropriate information, either."

USC was the AP's national champions last season and is ranked No. 1 in the AP preseason poll.



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