Marcus Freeman rips media for dragging family ‘by the mud’…
Notre Dame soccer coach Marcus Freeman said his family bought “dragged through the mud” after a Jan. 3 incident at his son’s wrestling match was made public and “sensationalized” in the media.
During a press convention Wednesday, Freeman started by thanking the college for backing him after he was accused of battery by New Prairie assistant coach Chris Fleeger while at Mishawaka (Ind.) High School for a wrestling tournament.
“The reality is I behaved in a respectful and professional manner, while protecting my family, and that should have been the only headline,” said Freeman, who was not charged following an investigation by the Mishawaka police division.
Marcus Freeman opened his press convention addressing the incident at his son’s wrestling match at Mishawaka High School. He expressed his thanks for reporters who waited for the details and never “dragging his family through the mud with clickbait headlines.”“I behaved in a… pic.twitter.com/PSkM53r6E5— Bennett Wise WSBT (@BennettWiseWSBT) January 14, 2026
“Journalistic integrity ought to matter [and] withholding moral ideas in news reporting with accuracy and equity ought to matter.
“I know I’m a public figure and I understand the scrutiny that comes with that. That scrutiny should not extend to my children or any other child of a public figure.”
According to the St. Joseph County prosecutors report — cited by the South Bend Tribune, which was the first to report the incident — a witness informed detectives that Fleeger had voiced his anger at the Freeman family, and was encouraging other wrestlers to hurt Freeman’s son, Vinny, who’s a Penn High School senior.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish head soccer coach Marcus Freeman (R) and his son, Vinny, in attendance of the males’s basketball game against the Miami (FL) Hurricanes at Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center on Jan. 13, 2026. Michael Caterina-Imagn Images
Fleeger filed a police report accusing Freeman of battery after an alleged altercation, which was captured on video.
The St. Joseph County prosecutors workplace announced Monday that Freeman won’t be charged following a review of video footage and Mishawaka PD’s investigation.
The story made national news.
BREAKING: The Mishawaka Police Department has launched the safety digicam footage of the incident between Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman and New Prairie assistant coach Chris Fleeger.Freeman could be seen in a black jacket and grey hoodie close to the exit doorways. Fleeger can… pic.twitter.com/Ff4qcGojJu— Bennett Wise WSBT (@BennettWiseWSBT) January 12, 2026
“I want to commend the journalist who handled their reporting with integrity… I appreciate your patience in not rushing to report without having all of the facts and information,” Freeman continued.
“It is also important for me to express my extreme disappointment with one local media outlet and a reporter who I believe chose to do the opposite,” Freeman said, including that as a result, the incident grew to become a sensationalized story.
“Because they choose not to do so, me and my family and I have been dragged through the mud with clickbait headlines.”
Freeman said he was grateful to Notre Dame for their “trust and defense of me even before the video evidence was released.”
Head coach Marcus Freeman of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish appears on against the Stanford Cardinal in the first quarter at Stanford Stadium on November 29, 2025 in Stanford, California. Getty Images
Notre Dame publicly backed Freeman in the quick aftermath of allegations, calling the accusations “unfounded” in a press release.
“Vinny Freeman, head coach Marcus Freeman’s son, was verbally accosted during and after his wrestling match by a local wrestling coach,” Notre Dame’s assertion read. “Marcus and [his wife] Joanna Freeman intervened and eliminated Vinny from the scenario.
“At no point did Coach Freeman physically engage with anyone. We believe that the police report, which includes video evidence, fully exonerates Coach Freeman and makes clear these accusations are unfounded.”
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