College coach arrested for allegedly abusing players

A former Nyack College women's softball coach was arrested Thursday for allegedly sexually abusing about a dozen players. Kurt Ludwigsen, 43, of Ridgewood, faces nearly 100 charges. They include dozens

News 12 Staff

Apr 10, 2015, 6:09 AM

Updated 3,491 days ago

Share:

A former Nyack College women's softball coach was arrested Thursday for allegedly sexually abusing about a dozen players.
Kurt Ludwigsen, 43, of Ridgewood, faces nearly 100 charges. They include dozens of charges each of forcible touching and harassment, and at least one count of sexual abuse. The alleged victims' are ages 18 to 23.
"We're talking about a repeated pattern of touching breasts, buttocks, kissing on the lips, unwanted contact," said South Nyack-Grand View Police Department Chief Brent Newbury. He said players described varying accounts of misconduct and that additional offenses may have been committed.
The alleged incidents started in October 2014 and continued during the team's spring break trip to Arizona in March. Police arrested Ludwigsen after he came in for questioning today.
Students at the college were disappointed by the news of the arrest of Ludwigsen, who coached at the New York school for less than a year. "You never know what you're going to get. There are creeps everywhere," said one student.
Nyack College administrators fired the coach last month after players' parents complained to the college and police. College officials have asked students to support the players and to respect the women's privacy.
Ludwigsen is out on bail, but no one answered the door at his Ridgewood home. He is scheduled to appear in court April 13.