The University of Minnesota has opened an investigation into allegations that former assistant men’s hockey coach Thomas Adrahtas committed sexual misconduct against players while on staff from 1984-1985. 

This comes following an article published by The Athletic on Friday that detailed allegations committed by Adrahtas while at Minnesota and several other institutions. Most recently, Adrahtas worked for Robert Morris University in 2018. 

“The University of Minnesota is aware of The Athletic article regarding alleged serious misconduct by an individual who served as a University assistant men’s hockey coach during the 1984-85 season,” the University said in a statement. “The University takes this disturbing report seriously and is taking immediate steps — including the retention of the law firm Perkins Coie — to determine what happened.”

Along with hiring a law firm, Minnesota Athletic Director Mark Coyle sent a letter to the members of the 1984-1985 men’s hockey team, according to The Athletic. 

“I write to you and your 1984-85 hockey teammates to say that I deeply regret any such harm that may have occurred within Golden Gopher Athletics,” the letter said.

The letter also asks that any of the former athletes bring forward any knowledge they have regarding the situation. 

The Athletic reported that months after Adrahtas left Robert Morris, players there learned that Adrahtas resigned because of allegations by a player from the 1980s. The story said Robert Morris and the American College Hockey Association had been notified by the player that he endured 20 months of sexual abuse by Adrahtas.

The athletic director during Adrahtas’s time at Minnesota was Paul Giel.