While reporting and deciding to publish today’s top news story about a December “freshmen party” where women soccer players marked up each other with profane words and drawings of genitalia, the editorial board of The State Hornet faced a number of challenges.

It was important to the editorial board to give those who attended the party a chance to speak on their behalf.

However, the four student-athletes who spoke with The State Hornet, including a former soccer player, said Director of Athletics Terry Wanless advised them not to speak with the newspaper.

“I think it’s not in the best interest of the student-athlete to comment on these issues,” Wanless said on Monday.

Wanless told the newspaper that he would be involved with any investigation that involves the Athletics Department.

Wanless, along with senior forward Kelly Novak and Athletics Department Media Relations Assistant Andria Wenzel, denied The State Hornet phone numbers of the players photographed.

Wanless said the numbers could not be released because the department does not give out personal information of its athletes. This is unusual and was unexpected.

The State Hornet has frequently obtained phone numbers of athletes through the Sports Information Desk upon the approval of the athletes without any problems.

This publication found that it was unfair for the Athletics Department and its director to not give the women a chance to have their voices heard in this sensitive story and to dictate who gets spoken to on the basis of a story’s content.

This paper’s objective is to serve the public by publishing stories that uncover any potential wrongdoings, and the public should be able to hear all sides of the situation.

By not cooperating with the student press, the Athletics Department is harming the athletes involved as well as the public’s right to be informed.

While The State Hornet understands and respects an individual’s right to not comment on a situation, it seems as though the players’ choice was already made by the department’s actions.