OXFORD, Ohio — A newly-released report says a former Miami University hockey administrator at the center of a national hockey scandal sexually assaulted two men while in Oxford.
Bradley Aldrich briefly worked at Miami University in 2012 after working for the Chicago Blackhawks. An independent investigation ordered by the university detailed accounts of Aldrich assaulting the men that year before assaulting a Michigan high school student in 2013 — the last of which landing Aldrich a felony conviction.
The investigation follows two negligence lawsuits filed against the Blackhawks earlier this year. One lawsuit claims the team's management covered up Aldrich's sexual assault of a Blackhawks player, while another alleges the team gave recommendation letters to Aldrich's future employers — including Miami University.
The Blackhawks released details of an independent investigation Tuesday finding the team waited three weeks during their Stanley Cup season in 2010 to look into allegations by player Kyle Beach that Aldrich had sexually assaulted him. The report said the team allowed Aldrich to continue working, even allowing him to take the stage at a rally after the Blackhawks won the championship.
"I want to make sure that this doesn't happen to anybody else," Beach said on TSN, a Canadian TV station.
Beach also spoke about his remorse for the high school student assaulted by Aldrich years later.
"I'm sorry," Beach said. "I'm sorry I didn't do more when I could to make sure it didn't happen to him, to protect him."
National law firm Barnes and Thornbub conducted the investigation for Miami University. Aldrich's first alleged victim while working as a hockey director at the school was an intern, the other an undergraduate student.
The investigation found Miami University had not finished its background check on Aldrich when he accepted the job; however, there were no criminal convictions or arrests on his record at the time of his hiring. It also revealed Aldrich had a pattern of forming close, at times questionable, relationships with young student athletes.
The report said the university acted appropriately when allegations came to light in 2012 and 2018.
In a statement, the university's media representative issued a statement saying in part: "We take allegations of sexual assault very seriously and believe that those who commit these heinous crimes should be held accountable...The findings of the report reassure us that we followed the proper protocols in these cases."
Neither of Aldrich's alleged victims from his time at Miami University have formally filed complaints with Oxford Police.
