Ex-McNeese coach added to lawsuit, Wilson accused of sexual harassment while at LSU

Published 8:27 am Saturday, March 5, 2022

Former McNeese State head football coach Frank Wilson has been accused of exposing himself to former LSU Associate Athletic Director Sharon Lewis, according to court documents filed Thursday in federal court.

In a report in The Athletic, an online publication that covers national sports, Lewis alleges that, when Wilson was first with LSU as an assistant coach, he exposed and asked her to touch his genitalia, in addition to trying to kiss another female employee without her consent.

Wilson was the McNeese head coach from Jan. 2020 until last December when he returned to LSU as associate head coach and running backs coach for new head coach Brian Kelly.

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Wilson spent six seasons at LSU under Les Miles before leaving to become head coach at Texas-San Antonio and then McNeese. He posted a 7-11 record with the Cowboys before Kelly hired him back in Baton Rouge.

McNeese Athletic Director Heath Schroyer declined to comment on the situation saying it had nothing to do with Wilson’s time with the Cowboys.

LSU released a statement about the situation:

“We are unaware of any prior allegations against Frank Wilson, and there is no evidence that any such allegations were ever reported to LSU. Further, none of these allegations were shared during the highly visible, independent Title IX review that LSU initiated last year.”

The allegations were added to Lewis’ ongoing $50 million lawsuit against LSU stating that the university retaliated against her after she reported claims of Miles sexually harassing student workers in the athletic department. Months after her lawsuit was filed, Lewis was fired in January among mass layoffs during the staff change.

USA Today reported that it spoke to three LSU employees, including Lewis, who gave details about inapropriate gestures and comments by Wilson.

Lewis is on record having said she went to Senior Associate Athletic Director Miriam Segar and Executive Deputy Athletic Director Verge Ausberry regarding the situation.

Wilson was mentioned last April when the original lawsuit was filed. When asked about it on April 7, Wilson would only say it was an on-going case.

He was not named as a defendant at the time.