-
David Hale, ESPN Staff Writer
Syracuse running back LeQuint Allen will rejoin the football team next month after he reached an agreement Wednesday with the university to end a suspension that would have sidelined him for the season.
Allen, a rising sophomore, was suspended through the end of the fall semester, effective May 15, for his role in a December 2021 fight involving another Syracuse student — a punishment that would have forced Allen to miss the entirety of the 2023 football season.
On June 26, Allen filed a lawsuit against the university to have the suspension reversed and his record expunged. This Wednesday, with the trial set to start that day, the parties reached an agreement that will allow Allen to rejoin the football team Aug. 15 and return to classes for the fall semester.
“We have reached a resolution with LeQuint while respecting his privacy throughout this process,” Syracuse vice president for communications Sarah Scales said in a statement released by the school. “As part of that agreement, LeQuint will resume his studies in the fall semester and return to football in mid-August. Per federal privacy laws, Syracuse University will not comment further on this or other student conduct cases.”
According to Syracuse.com, Allen had been accused of punching another Syracuse student outside an on-campus apartment complex. Allen claimed the punch had been in retaliation after the student had previously punched Allen multiple times. Syracuse police charged Allen with third-degree assault, but the case was settled with an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal, meaning Allen’s record could be expunged after a probationary period.
Allen is expected to be the team’s starting tailback this season after he served as a backup to Sean Tucker last year. With Tucker opting out of the team’s bowl game, Allen got the starting nod against Minnesota in the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 29, carrying 15 times for 94 yards and catching 11 passes for another 60 yards.
