Baylor knew player convicted of sexual assault had violent history, former coach says

Baylor Coach Art Briles knew about defensive end Sam Ukwuachu’s violent past before allowing him to transfer to the university in Waco, Texas, where he was found guilty on Thursday of committing sexual assault against a fellow student-athlete.

Washington Huskies Coach Chris Petersen said he contacted Briles when he was still head coach of Boise State after learning of Ukwuachu’s decision to transfer to Baylor in 2013 from his Broncos team.

“After Sam Ukwuachu was dismissed from the Boise State football program and expressed an interest in transferring to Baylor, I initiated a call with coach Art Briles,” Petersen told ESPN in the statement. “In that conversation, I thoroughly apprised Coach Briles of the circumstances surrounding Sam’s disciplinary record and dismissal.”

Briles had denied any knowledge of Ukwuachu’s past before Petersen’s statement was released.

“No mention of anything beyond Sam [Ukwuachu] being depressed and needing to come home,” said Briles, who has led the Bears football program since 2008. “So that was our information. And that’s what you go by.”

Before heading to Baylor, Ukwuachu was kicked off the Boise State team for an unspecified violation of team rules in 2013. A former girlfriend from Boise testified at his trial that he had punched and choked her.

The woman assaulted by Ukwuachu, a then 18-year-old soccer player who later transferred to another Texas university, said she screamed “no” repeatedly during the assault by the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder, according to the Waco Tribune.

She said he also told her, “This is not rape.”

Ukwuachu, who is awaiting sentencing, faces up to 20 years in prison.

Follow Matt Wilhalme on Twitter @mattwilhalme