Michigan men's hockey coach Mel Pearson let go following investigation into treatment of staff, players

The decision comes after approximately three months after Pearson's contract expired, in early May.

"A third-party investigative report into Pearson and his program raised serious allegations, including that Pearson forced a former team captain out of the program, directed players to lie on COVID-19 contact-tracing forms, provided accounts to investigators that were deemed 'not credible' and oversaw a program in which there was 'mistreatment of female staff members' and 'pervasive fear' about retaliation amongst both players and staff members," Katie Strang of The Athletic wrote. "Additionally, an anonymous culture survey that was administered to the program in May 2021 revealed that respondents raised concerns about Pearson berating and belittling staffers, and singling out players inappropriately, including, in one alleged instance, calling a player a 'Jew.'"

According to Strang, the anonymous survey "revealed fear amongst those in the program to voice concerns, and allegations that Pearson misleads 'recruits about the scholarship money they will receive, pushes players off the team each year by telling them they will not have a spot on the team, and then lies to the team about why the players left.'”

Pearson served five seasons at the helm of the Wolverines, finishing with a 99-65-16 (.594) record, including a 31-10-1 mark during the 2021-2022 campaign.