"A $200 Venmo payment": Mel Tucker contends Brenda Tracy accepted gifts willingly during their alleged intimate relationship

Mel Tucker has pushed back against allegations made by activist Brenda Tracy regarding improper sexual conduct on his part towards her. The suspended coach lambasted the entire investigative process by Michigan State in a statement with his version of events released Monday through his attorney.

The opening sentence of the statement describes the scandal as follows:

"Brenda Tracy’s allegations of harassment are completely false. The proceedings initiated by Ms. Tracy are devoid of any semblance of fairness for any matter of this importance, and the University’s 'hearing' scheduled for October 5-6 is so flawed that there is no other opportunity for the truth to come out. That is why I share some truth with you now."

What is Mel Tucker's version of events?

The activist has accused the coach of making unwarranted sexual comments to her during a 2022 phone call and of allegedly masturbating during the call.

Brenda Tracy: Mel Tucker's accuser

Mel Tucker stressed in his statement that both had a consensual intimate relationship existed and that Tracy's approaches to him and acceptance of his gifts and contributions make that clear:

"Even the investigator hired by the University found that we had a 'personal relationship' and that we shared 'deeply personal and private information with each other.' Ms. Tracy encouraged our personal relationship by inviting and accepting gifts from me."

He specified his gifts for her:

"Ms. Tracy admitted requesting and accepting my gift of expensive athletic shoes, a $200 Venmo payment, and a personal contribution to her non-profit. Not only did she accept those gifts, but she had to provide me her shoe size and address to receive the shoes, and her Venmo ID to receive the money."

He described the phone call in question in the following manner:

"She initiated the discussion that night, sent me a provocative picture of the two of us together, suggested what she may look like without clothes, and never once during the 36 minutes did she object in any manner, much less hang up the phone."

He also criticized the university's way of handling the entire affair, stating that he is the one who stands to lose the most, contrary to what Tracy has said to the media. He called the entire episode a greed-based one.

He stated that the October hearing is based on a student disciplinary process, that doesn't have the features necessary for the truth to be exposed.

How did Mel Tucker and Brenda Tracy meet?

Tucker and Tracy met in August 2021 during a visit of the advocacy worker to MSU, according to USA Today. They were introduced by a mutual acquaintance.

During the visit, she gave an inspiring speech to a packed auditorium of Spartans student-athletes about the need to banish sexual violence from the world of sports and her own gut-wrenching experiences. Michigan State paid her $10,000 for the talk.

From there, she and Tucker developed a working relationship, with the coach inviting her over to campus several times and naming her an honorary captain of the football team.

Read the rest of Mel Tucker's statement here: https://www.wlns.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2023/09/MT-Press-Release-9-11-23.pdf