Michigan · Big TenMichigan settles LaTroy Lewis case for $1.2 million
The university admitted no liability in the agreement as police and athletic-department accountability questions remain unresolved.
SEP 2, 2026
The Pate State · Editorial IllustrationTotal settlement
Calls after the report
Manuel separation agreement
01 · The NewsMichigan Settles Lewis Case
Michigan agreed to pay $1.2 million to a woman who accused former football graduate assistant LaTroy Lewis of sexual assault in 2024, Austin Meek reported Tuesday, as the university faces continued scrutiny over how its athletic department handles misconduct allegations.
The agreement sends $848,000 to the woman and $352,000 to her attorney. Its other terms are confidential, and Michigan admitted no liability. The settlement does not change the Wolverines’ roster or schedule; it keeps the football operation tied to questions about staff oversight and what happens when a complaint reaches the athletic department.
Lewis has denied the allegations. In a statement previously provided by his attorney, Fabiola A. Galguera said he “intends to fiercely fight these false allegations.” Michigan’s test is now institutional: show that the reporting and accountability changes it announced can work during a broader leadership transition.
Lewis worked at Michigan from 2022 through the 2024 season. He later coached at Toledo, briefly followed Jason Candle to UConn and landed with Atlanta as an assistant defensive line coach before the Falcons fired him in February, after the allegations became public.
According to an Ann Arbor police report, the woman said she connected with Lewis through a dating app before meeting him at an Ann Arbor hotel in December 2024. The report described her allegation that Lewis overpowered and assaulted her. She also told police he made 16 calls after her February report and had sent a message threatening to beat and kill her.
02 · The StakesWhy This One Matters
The settlement surfaced amid Jenner & Block’s broader investigation into Michigan athletics. The review followed Michigan’s dismissal of former football coach Sherrone Moore after the disclosure of his relationship with an executive assistant. The woman contacted the firm in December 2025. A public summary released by Michigan in July said the investigators found no evidence of widespread misconduct inside the athletic department. The review did identify weaknesses in reporting and accountability, prompting changes to compliance, human resources and the procedures for reporting and investigating misconduct allegations. Those changes now face a concrete test. Michigan previously negotiated a $7.1 million separation agreement with athletic director Warde Manuel. The department must carry its revised process through that transition rather than let the outside review become a closed file. Football continues without an announced personnel consequence from the settlement. Michigan went 9-4 overall and 7-2 in the Big Ten in 2025 and opens its 2026 season against Western Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 5. The football consequence is off the field: scrutiny of who supervises staff and how the department responds to a complaint.
03 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
The university settlement and the police investigation remain separate matters. Ann Arbor police opened the investigation after the woman’s February report, named Lewis as a suspect and later made multiple attempts to schedule a follow-up interview with her. The case was eventually “closed due to inactivity,” according to the police report, which also said it could be “re-opened at any time.”
The settlement does not resolve whether the police investigation will resume or whether criminal charges will be filed. It also does not answer whether Michigan will make further changes tied to the Lewis case.
The university has announced new reporting and investigative procedures after the Jenner & Block review. The question for Michigan’s administrators and staff is whether those procedures move allegations to the right officials and keep responsibility from disappearing between football, human resources and compliance.
“intends to fiercely fight these false allegations.”
Fabiola A. Galguera04 · The ThesisThe Pate State Read
The $1.2 million payment draws attention, but the larger issue is Michigan’s chain of accountability. The outside review’s finding that misconduct was not widespread argues against treating the entire department as implicated. Its finding of weaknesses in reporting and accountability keeps the focus on the systems that receive and process allegations. Manuel’s scheduled departure gives Michigan less room to treat the review as finished business. The athletic department has to make its announced changes visible in practice, including when a complaint involves a football staffer. The settlement ends Michigan’s financial dispute without resolving the allegation or the criminal questions. Its next responsibility is straightforward: make the new process work when the next complaint reaches the department.
05 · The Watch ListWhat We're Watching
Will Ann Arbor police act next?
Watch for an official move from Ann Arbor police, such as a renewed interview request or another action in the case.
Will prosecutors announce charges?
Watch for any announcement about criminal charges.
Will Michigan change the process again?
And watch whether Michigan adds reporting, compliance or personnel changes beyond those announced after the Jenner & Block review.