Reggie Lynch Still on Minnesota Basketball Team Amid Sexual Assault Suspension

Reggie Lynch remains a member of the Minnesota Golden Gophers basketball team despite being involved in an investigation that could see him barred from the university's campus until at least 2020.

Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle confirmed Friday that Lynch is still with the team but will be suspended for the Golden Gophers' game Saturday with the Indiana Hoosiers. Minnesota on BTN shared Coyle's comments:

According to the Star Tribune's Rochelle Olson and Brandon Stahl, a university investigation found Lynch responsible in an alleged sexual assault in April 2016.

Minnesota head coach Richard Pitino said the decision to allow Lynch to stay with the team was the result of a university policy, per Josh Rosenthal of KSTP in St. Paul, Minnesota. Lynch can still file an appeal with Minnesota's Student Sexual Misconduct Subcommittee, which would delay his suspension from going into effect.

Lynch was previously arrested over an alleged sexual assault in May 2016. Prosecutors in Hennepin County, Minnesota, declined to pursue criminal charges, and Minnesota reinstated him to the basketball team in September 2016 after completing its own investigation.

Were the ruling from Minnesota's Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action office to stand regarding Lynch's impending suspension, it would end his basketball career with the Golden Gophers.

The senior center was the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year in 2016-17, and he's averaging 10.1 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.1 blocks through his first 15 games for the 13-3 Golden Gophers.