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Members of the University of Southern Mississippi pep band chanted “Where’s your green card?” Thursday at an opposing basketball player from Puerto Rico, The Kansas City Star reported. But it was Southern Mississippi, not Kansas State University freshman Angel Rodriguez, that was sent home after the game. The Golden Eagles lost the second-round National College Athletic Association tournament game, 70-64.
Southern Mississippi President Martha Saunders issued a statement after the game apologizing to Rodriguez and saying that “The words of these individuals do not represent the sentiments of our pep band, athletic department or university.” Rodriguez, a 19-year-old guard from San Juan, is an American citizen by virtue of his birth in the U.S. territory.
As Rodriguez prepared to shoot free throws, members of the Southern Miss band were caught on tape chanting the racially charged phrase. Southern Mississippi’s interim athletics director apologized to his Kansas State counterpart after the game, the Hattiesburg American reported, and hoped to have the pep band director meet with Rodriguez. The pep band director stopped the chant and apologized to a TV reporter who filmed it, the American reported.
