Lawsuit filed against Ursuline High School officials, football players for alleged hazing, more

A family, on Tuesday, filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit against Ursuline High School, its principal, assistant principal, and several football coaches on behalf of a student who was allegedly hazed, physically and sexually assaulted, and subjected to the creation and dissemination of child pornography during a football camp trip in June 2025. The complaint also names many football players and their parents as defendants, according to the law firm representing the family.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, alleges that the school, its officials, and coaches failed to protect students from a long-standing culture of hazing within the football program. Defendants include Ursuline High School, Principal Matthew Sammartino, Assistant Principal Margaret Damore, head football Coach Daniel Reardon, and Assistant Coaches Timothy McGlynn and Christian Syrianoudis. Also named is the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, which oversees the school, along with 11 football players and their parents.

Hazing attacks on son

According to the attorney’s office the complaint details a nine-day football camp trip through Florida, Tennessee, and Alabama in June 2025, where, according to the filing, multiple criminal acts occurred, including hazing, physical and sexual abuse, kidnapping, and the production and dissemination of child pornography. The lawsuit alleges that coaches Reardon, McGlynn, and Syrianoudis were aware of the misconduct before, during, and after the trip—but failed to take appropriate action to address it.

The complaint alleges that a player videorecorded the attacks and posted the videos to the team’s group Snapchat, and other players saved and transferred the videos, disseminating them throughout the community.

The complaint describes other hazing and attempted hazing incidents throughout the trip. Players referred to their planned physical and sexual assaults as “taking butts,” the complaint alleges. Players would take other boys’ underwear as trophies after attacks. The players openly discussed the past and planned hazing and assaults in front of the coaches, who, the complaint alleges, failed to prevent the attacks, according to the complaint.

Indifferent coach: “Just boys being boys”

The complaint also addresses the alleged response of Ursuline officials to the hazing. When Son’s mother, referred to by the pseudonym Mother King, first reported the attacks to Assistant Coach Timothy McGlynn on June 16, 2025, McGlynn allegedly expressed no surprise or sympathy. Instead, he reportedly downplayed the incident, saying, “It’s just boys being boys.”

When Mother King later met with Principal Matthew Sammartino and Assistant Principal Margaret Damore, she showed them the videos and photos from the team’s Snapchat group. The lawsuit alleges that Sammartino showed a lack of interest, while Damore acknowledged, “this is bad,” and recorded the evidence on her own phone. The lawsuit claims that despite having the evidence, the school failed to perform an investigation or take meaningful disciplinary action against the players or coaches.

The complaint alleges that this attitude exemplifies Ursuline’s culture of excusing criminal misconduct in the name of football. The complaint further alleges that the hazing and physical abuse against players has persisted over several years.

Attempted intimidation of daughter

The complaint alleges that after the hazing incidents, Son’s sister, identified as Daughter King, then a senior, was compelled to transfer schools after facing intimidation. Player-9, one of the accused players, allegedly began showing up at her workplace and other places she frequented, in an apparent attempt to intimidate her from supporting her brother or speaking about the incident. The complaint states that Player-9 and his friends once stared at Daughter in an “intimidating fashion” at a restaurant. This alleged conduct compounded the family’s fear and trauma.

Ursuline and its administration tried unsuccessfully to cover up the illegal activity

Ursuline High School and its administration failed to address the Plaintiff’s report to the school and, then, the suit alleges, took steps to cover up the wrongdoing. Sammartino and Damore allegedly deleted posts from the Ursuline High School Facebook account and other football social-media accounts were also deleted.

The complaint alleges that Sammartino and Damore warned and instructed the players not to say anything to anyone about what occurred. They issued this instruction while simultaneously informing the players that the matter was under investigation.

Sammartino then authored and disseminated two false and fraudulent statements to Ursuline parents and the media, the complaint alleges. Among the false statements were Sammartino’s claims that the attack was an “isolated incident” and only involving a “limited number” of football players. But, as the complaint alleges, the hazing and attacks occurred daily during the nine-day trip and involved at least 25 players, including 12 assailant-players and multiple witnesses and victims.

Neither Ursuline High School nor the Diocese took any steps to discipline the players and coaches, according to the complaint.

The Lawsuit

Plaintiffs’ lead counsel Subodh Chandra said the case is about accountability.

“No family should have to endure the trauma this family suffered at the hands of other students and then at the hands of school officials who, the suit alleges, excused, ignored, and even tried to silence them,” Chandra said.

The complaint brings claims under federal Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination and sexual harassment in education, along with state-law claims. It alleges that Ursuline officials:

*Violated students’ Title IX protections, *Failed to protect students from foreseeable harm, and *Along with players, committed numerous criminal acts, including violations of Ohio, Florida, Alabama, and Tennessee law, for which the defendants are civilly liable under Ohio law.

The school is also accused of engaging in negligent and reckless hiring, training, supervision, and retention of coaches, at least two of whom, had dubious backgrounds and track records, according to the complaint.

The Mahoning Matters newsroom has reached out to Ursuline High School for comment but, as of the publication of this article, has gotten no response.