YOUNGSTOWN Three Ursuline High School football coaches accused of ignoring widespread hazing have formally denied knowing about alleged sexual abuse within the program. They are asking a federal judge to remove portions of the plaintiffs' lawsuit.

In court documents filed in one of the hazing lawsuits, head coach Daniel Reardon and assistants Timothy McGlynn and Christian Syrianoudis argued that the amended complaint contains "immaterial, impertinent, and scandalous" claims designed to inflame public opinion rather than support legal arguments.

The coaches admitted they were chaperones on the football camps where the abuse allegedly occurred, but maintained they never witnessed or heard about the specific acts described by the plaintiffs. The lawsuit, brought by the parents of two former players, alleges a years-long tradition where older players sexually assaulted younger teammates.

Defense attorneys wrote that while the alleged conduct would be "reprehensible" if true, the complaint is filled with irrelevant attacks on their character and the school’s reputation. They specifically asked the court to strike allegations regarding past recruiting violations, rumors of drug use at the school, and a previous investigation into McGlynn’s tenure at a different high school.

McGlynn also denied ignoring a parent's plea for help in June 2025. In his response, he stated that the mother of one victim only complained to him about "nitpicking" among the players, not physical or sexual assault. He asserted that he addressed the concerns based on the limited information he had at the time.

In a separate filing Friday, the family of a freshman player identified as J.B. admitted that hazing occurred during the 2025 team trip but denied their son participated in any assaults or criminal behavior. Both the coaches and the player’s family have requested that the claims against them be dismissed.

The filings follow a similar denial submitted earlier this month by the Diocese of Youngstown and Ursuline administrators. In their answer, the Diocese, Principal Matthew Sammartino, Assistant Principal Margaret Damore, and Athletic Director John DeSantis rejected claims that they covered up the abuse.

Administrators stated they did not learn of the specific allegations until the mother of a victim met with them on June 23, 2025. They assert that upon learning of the claims, they promptly opened an internal investigation, contacted child protective services in two counties, and notified the Youngstown Police Department.

The Diocese defendants argued that federal student privacy laws prevented them from disclosing these investigative steps to the public or the victims' families at the time. They further stated that the school imposed discipline on identified players in accordance with the student handbook and denied maintaining a "culture of hazing".