Former WSU QB Jason Gesser resigns after new sexual misconduct allegations

Former Washington State quarterback and assistant athletic director Jason Gesser has resigned, a day after new sexual misconduct allegations surfaced.

Gesser sent his letter of resignation in early Tuesday, saying that he was “saddened that recent circumstances in my private life have created a distraction for the Department and University.”

The assistant athletic director also addressed the woman, Alyssa Bodeau, who accused him of sexual misconduct.

Boudeau, who went by her maiden name Wold during her time as a student athlete at Washington State, alleged that Gesser tried to force himself on her at a fundraising event in 2015.

He acknowledged that he did not mean to cause her harm and that he never should have been in the situation in the first place, but that he had a difference recollection of what she described.

Bodeau issued her own statement hours after Gesser’s resignation.

“It’s a relief to know that no other young women will be subjected to Mr. Gesser’s actions and abuse of power. I pray he gets the help he needs and that his family can move forward,” Bodeau said to the Daily Evergreen. “I also pray that this event will serve to give encouragement to others. Staying silent is no longer an option. If my story resonates with you, come forward. Bring it to the light so that we all – as a community – can begin the healing process.”

Gesser, who played for the Cougars from 1998-2002, was accused of multiple instances of inappropriate conduct toward female interns and student athletes in a story in the Washington State Daily Evergreen last week. He denied those allegations, and the university said on Thursday that it couldn’t find any violations of school conduct policies after investigating the misconduct allegations against him, too.

Bodeau, 27, had filed a complaint on Monday with the Washington State University Office for Equal Opportunity after reading the Daily Evergreen’s story on Saturday about other allegations against him, according to The Seattle Times.

“When other girls came forward, it changed the game,” Bodeau told The Seattle Times. “When I saw that it was a pattern, that’s when I decided, ‘I’m not going to stay quiet.’ If it doesn’t stop now … other girls will be in danger.”

Bodeau said she was at the Spokane County Fair when a friend sent her a link to the article on Saturday.

“I was honestly at a standstill at the fair for 15 minutes staring at it,” Bodeau told The Seattle Times. “I thought I was alone. Reading the article made me realize that I wasn’t the last one but I also wasn’t the first one. That kind of wrecked me right there.”

Following her complaint on Monday, the university placed Gesser on administrative leave while it investigates the new allegations against him.

“This is new information and a different set of events than previously reported,” said Kimberly Anderson, Washington State’s executive director of the Office for Equal Opportunity, in a statement. “In accordance with standard WSU practice and in consultation with relevant University officials, Mr. Gesser was placed on home assignment pending a full investigation of the allegations.”

Gesser led the Cougars to the Rose Bowl in 2002, which marked the second of three straight 10-win seasons at Washington State. The Cougars haven’t won 10 games in a season since.

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