North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren has dismissed two players from the team and suspended three others for violating athletics department and team rules pertaining to marijuana and alcohol.
The team announced the dismissals and suspensions Tuesday. The school issued a separate release saying the violations were discovered amid an ongoing investigation by university police into allegations of sexual assault during a campus party last month.
Athletic director Debbie Yow said the disciplinary actions taken against the five players were "not regarding allegations of sexual assault."
Freshmen Kevince Brown and Antoine Thompson were dismissed from the team, and Yow says they were no longer enrolled in school.
Three other freshmen — Erin Collins, Xavier Lyas and Isaiah Moore — were suspended, and Yow said they also faced "other discipline."
In a news conference Tuesday afternoon, university police chief Jack Moorman declined to talk about specifics in the ongoing criminal investigation. He did say the party took place at the residence of a football player, though he didn't specify which football player.
Moorman said "under a dozen" people attended what the school's release described as a "gathering" on July 21.
"There were five football players, there were our three sexual-assault complainants and then there were some other people who came in and out throughout the course of the day," Moorman said. "But at this point, we have no evidence that any of the other individuals were involved in the drug and alcohol component."
The school said the police investigation is "nearly concluded" and that university police have provided evidence to the Wake County district attorney's office. It also states the school is conducting a Title IX investigation into whether anyone violated the code of student conduct.
In a statement, Doeren said the five players were disciplined for "poor decisions that don't align with the values of our program."
"Although I've disciplined these players for violations of the Student Athlete Code of Conduct, I want to make it clear that I respect due process in the university and legal proceedings," Doeren said. "Our players understand that I'm going be firm, but fair when it comes to discipline."
