Notre Dame Coach Freeman Involved in Incident at Wrestling Match
Mishawaka, IN – Marcus Freeman, the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame, was named in a police report following an alleged incident at a high school wrestling tournament earlier this month. The report was filed by a wrestling coach from a different high school in Indiana.
The alleged event took place at the Al Smith Wrestling Invitational, where Coach Freeman was present to support his son, Vinny, who is a wrestler for Penn High School. According to reports, the situation arose after Vinny Freeman’s wrestling match.
Chris Fleeger, an assistant wrestling coach at New Prairie High School, alleges that he had some form of physical contact with Coach Freeman. Details surrounding the alleged contact are still emerging.
Reports indicate that there was also a verbal exchange between Coach Freeman, Penn High School’s coach Brad Harper, and Fleeger as they were leaving the gymnasium. Furthermore, Coach Freeman’s wife, Joanna, is said to have been involved in a heated discussion with Fleeger before authorities intervened.
Following the emergence of these reports, the University of Notre Dame issued a statement defending Coach Freeman.
The statement asserts that Vinny Freeman was verbally confronted by a local wrestling coach both during and after his match. It further states that Marcus and Joanna Freeman stepped in to remove their son from the situation.
Notre Dame’s statement firmly denies any physical engagement by Coach Freeman, expressing confidence that video evidence included in the police report will exonerate him and demonstrate the accusations are without basis.
Local police in Mishawaka have conducted an investigation into the matter. The findings of their investigation are now under review by the prosecutor’s office, which will determine whether any charges will be filed.
Despite the ongoing investigation, Coach Freeman is expected to continue his role with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the upcoming 2026 season. He remains a highly regarded figure in college football, even drawing interest from professional teams in the NFL.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish had a strong season, finishing with a 10-2 record, narrowly missing the opportunity to compete in the College Football Playoff.
