A former member of the Navarro College cheerleading squad — which found fame on the Netflix series “Cheer” — claims in a new lawsuit that the Texas college and coach Monica Aldama failed to investigate her sexual assault accusations.
In the filing obtained by The Post, former Navarro cheerleader Madi Lane alleges she was sexually assaulted by team member Salvatore “Salvo” Amico in her dorm room in September 2021.
The complaint, filed Wednesday in federal court, also names Director of Athletics Michael Landers and Title IX Coordinator Elizabeth Pillans.
Representatives for Navarro College and Aldama denied allegations of wrongdoing in a statement Thursday. The Post also reached out to Amico for comment.
In her suit, Lane claims Amico got on her bed, pulled off some of her clothes and sexually assaulted her as she screamed at him to stop.
She said she spoke with “several team members” and claimed the team’s “unofficial captain” told her, “You just need to drink it off and get your mind off of it” because “that’s what Navarro girls do — they drink. We don’t tell anyone. We just keep it to our self,” according to the complaint.
She claims when she approached Aldama, the coach alleged interrupted her, saying, “Let’s not make this a big deal. I want the best for you and I will help you cheer wherever you want,” according to the suit.
She alleges that when she quit the cheer team, Aldama told her, “If you keep quiet, I’ll make sure you can
cheer anywhere you want.”
Lane said she was also discouraged from reporting the alleged incident to campus police and the Title IX office.
She said she attends a different Texas school, where she is a cheerleader.
“Plaintiff’s dream of cheering on a nationally ranked team is over, and she has been ‘blackballed’ from many nationally ranked programs, as they have former Navarro cheerleaders as coaches or team members,” the suit reads.
In a statement to The Post, Navarro College said it “denies any allegations of wrongdoing and is prepared to vigorously defend itself in court.”
The statement continues: “The safety and welfare of students is always of utmost priority. Navarro College prohibits sexual harassment and sexual misconduct against all students and is deeply committed to providing an educational environment free from sex discrimination and sexual assault.
“The College has established robust policies and procedures for reporting, investigating, and responding to all allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Navarro College takes every report of sexual harassment and sexual assault seriously and acts swiftly to provide an appropriate response to protect all students,” the message concludes.
This is not the first Navarro scandal.
“Cheer” standout Jerry Harris is serving a 12-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to coercing teen boys to send him obscene photos and videos and soliciting sex from teen twin boys at cheerleading competitions.
The hit Netflix docuseries addressed the allegations last year during its second season, in an episode titled “Jerry,” which included interviews with twins Charlie and Sam, as well as their mother, Kristen.
