By Danny Waldo
When Bobcat fans tune into Montana State basketball and football broadcasts in the future, they’ll hear an unfamiliar voice on the other end of the dial after Bobcat play-by-play announcer Jay Sanderson resigned on December 29th.
In his statement provided by Montana State, Sanderson cited a need to be closer to family back in his native Kansas due to the declining health of an immediate family member. However, it has recently come to light that Sanderson has been under investigation by the university for inappropriate contact with a sports reporter from the Missoulian, a claim that Sanderson vehemently denies.
“My wife knows that it’s not true, those closest to me know it’s not true, I’ve got a lot of really good people supporting me. It’s not true. I didn’t do what she said I did,” Sanderson said.
Amie Just, a reporter for the Missoulian, filed a formal complaint against Sanderson with Montana State’s Office of Institutional Equality in Septmeber, which triggered an investigation into Sanderson’s actions in October. The initial results of that investigation found that it was “more likely than not” that Sanderson engaged in “unwanted conduct of a sexual nature which was sufficiently severe enough to limit Ms. Just’s participation (in) university programs, services, opportunities, activities and unreasonably interfered with her employment.’” The investigation also determined that Sanderson sent multiple sexually harassing texts to Just, “made sexually explicit statements that cause concerns for the safety of others,” and “engaged in unwanted sexual contact with Just.”
Sanderson again disputed the allegation of sexually harassing texts, stating, “If somebody wants to read them as sexually suggestive that’s fine.” “They were not intended that way. I viewed her as friend and it was just one friend ribbing another, me giving her a hard time. That’s it.”
Just has since left her position at the Missoulian and is currently employed by the New Orleans Times-Picayune covering Louisiana State University athletics.
Sanderson came to Montana State from New Mexico State in 2014 and has covered Bobcat football and men’s basketball, in addition to hosting a weekly podcast and coach’s show. Learfield Sports, the company which owns Montana State’s media rights, and Sanderson’s official employer, has named Tom Schultz as Sanderson’s replacement for the men’s basketball season, but will look to fill the position permanently at a later date.
An final report on the investigations findings is expected out sometime in January.
