La Salle Coaches Resign Amid Rape Probe

PHILADELPHIA – La Salle University's (search) head basketball coaches have resigned amid two separate rape investigations involving players, school officials announced Saturday.

Men's coach Billy Hahn and women's coach John Miller were placed on leave earlier this month while the school investigated their handling of a rape allegation against a player on the men's team.

"This is a complex situation and not a judgment on the personal character of the coaches," La Salle's president, Brother Michael J. McGinniss, said in a statement Saturday. "When it comes to the safety of our students and our community, there is no room for personal interpretation of our rules."

Former players Gary Neal (search), 19, of Baltimore, and Michael Cleaves (search), 22, of Paterson, N.J., are charged with raping a visiting female athlete on campus last month.

Following those allegations, a former women's player for La Salle came forward and said she was sexually assaulted by a men's team player but was discouraged from telling police by La Salle coaches.

Federal law would require the coaches to report an alleged assault.

The coaches did not attend the news conference; the university, which is run by the Christian Brothers (search), did not say how they could be reached.

Neal and Cleaves turned themselves in to police earlier this month and are no longer enrolled at the university. DNA evidence matched samples taken from both players, police said.