Harvard-Westlake water polo player was sexually assaulted, called N-word by teammates, suit alleges

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A Black former water polo player at Harvard-Westlake is suing the elite school, alleging that he endured years of sexual assault and racist harassment by his teammates while the administration turned a blind eye in order to protect star player Lucca van der Woude.Aidan Romain alleges that, from August 2022 until February 2024, Van der Woude digitally penetrated him repeatedly and called him the N-word, abuse that Romain says continued even after he reported it to his coach and the school administration.Van der Woude was arrested by Los Angeles police on school grounds in February 2024, the complaint alleges.

The school then carried out a “cover-up” of Van der Woude’s behavior and facilitated his transfer to a new high school with a clean record, the lawsuit alleges.At the time, Van der Woude was a prized member of USA Water Poloʼs national youth team, a designated mentor for younger players and a strong future contender for the U.S.

Men’s Olympic team.In November 2024, Van der Woude admitted in juvenile court to having digitally penetrated a minor, the complaint notes, referencing reporting from the Orange County Register.

In March 2025, the court ordered him to pay nearly $50,000 in restitution to Romain, according to the complaint.In a statement, Harvard-Westlake said it “unequivocally disputes many of these allegations that mischaracterize facts and the school’s actions.” Michael Artan, an attorney representing Van der Woude, said he does not intend to “litigate his matter in the media” and that “Mr.Van Der Woude’s denials and other responses will be clear and unambiguous in his defense to the Complaint at hand.”Romain claims the abuse he endured on the team was “a drumbeat that grew louder and more destructive over time” in a lawsuit filed against the Studio City school, school President Richard Commons, water polo program head Jack Grover and ...