BYU cheerleading coach Jocelyn Allan lost consciousness after being struck in the head with a water bottle following BYU’s final-second victory over Utah on Saturday, and police say an 18-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Allan, who has served as the head cheer coach at BYU since 2010, posted about the incident on social media immediately after the game, alleging that it was a Utah fan that threw the water bottle.
The Utah Utes students cheer on their team against the Brigham Young Cougars during the fourth quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. (Rob Gray-Imagn Images)
“At the conclusion of tonight’s BYU/Utah game, a Utah fan in the table seats in the south endzone threw a water bottle and hit me directly in the head,” Allan wrote in a post to her Instagram Stories, via the New York Post.
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“I lost consciousness but thankfully was lowered to the ground by one of my cheerleaders. Police are going over video footage to identify the seats that it came from (we have a pretty good idea). If you saw the incident, or have any info on the family who owns that particular box, please contact me. Thank you!”
A spokesperson for BYU athletics confirmed that Allan was struck by a water bottle at the conclusion of the game.
The University of Utah Police Department later confirmed in a statement to Fox News Digital that William Gardner, 18, was arrested and charged with assault. He is not a Utah student, police added.
The Brigham Young Cougars cheer team performs between the third and fourth quarters of the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at LaVell Edwards Stadium. (Rob Gray-Imagn Images)
UTAH AD SAYS ‘GAME WAS ABSOLUTELY STOLEN FROM US’ AFTER LOSS TO BYU
“Gardner is charged with throwing a water bottle onto the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium that struck a member of the BYU cheerleading team during the Utah-BYU football game Nov. 9,” the statement read.
FOX 13 reported that Gardner was in a suite at the game with his family. His father contacted police the following day and alerted them that it was his son that threw the water bottle.
The incident comes as Utah athletic director Mark Harlan was publicly reprimanded and fined $40,000 by the Big 12 for making controversial calls on the Cougars’ winning drive.
Utah defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa reacts after losing to BYU in an NCAA college football game, just after midnight on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024 in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Spenser Heaps)
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“This game was absolutely stolen from us,” Harlan said after the game. “We were excited about being in the Big 12, but tonight I am not. We won this game. Someone else stole it from us. Very disappointed. I will talk to the commissioner. This was not fair to our team. I’m disgusted by the professionalism of the officiating crew tonight.”
After being disciplined, Harlan released a statement standing by his comments on the game’s officiating but added, “I recognize that there are more appropriate times and avenues to express those concerns, and I accept the consequences of my decision.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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