Clark College reinstated a coach earlier placed on leave for alleged inappropriate behavior with female athletes.
Owen Frasier, 40, returned last week as Clark’s head coach for the men’s and women’s track and field teams.
“Coach Frasier has been cleared of all allegations,” Clark’s spokeswoman Maureen Chan-Hefflin said in an email Saturday and confirmed Tuesday. “However, given the nature of these allegations, the college has outlined a set of expectations for this role moving forward.”
Clark College concluded its internal investigation in early February, she said.
“Coach Frasier’s regular communication as a coach remains unchanged,” Chan-Hefflin said. “He will continue to engage with student-athletes in a professional and appropriate manner, consistent with his role.”
Vancouver police earlier said a criminal investigation of Frasier had closed without charges being referred to prosecutors.
When contacted three times by The Columbian on Monday and Tuesday, Frasier did not comment about his reinstatement or the investigations. When asked if he had an attorney who would field questions, he responded in an email, “I don’t have a criminal attorney. I don’t need one. The only attorneys I’ve considered hiring are civil attorneys in my lawsuits.”
Frasier also teaches at Fort Vancouver High School, where he was placed on administrative leave Jan. 9. He remains on administrative leave while Vancouver Public Schools conducts an internal investigation, school district spokeswoman Jessica Roberts said in a text message today.
“If we are made aware that staff are under investigation by law enforcement for conduct potentially related to student safety our standard practice is to place them on leave,” Roberts said.
Criminal investigation
The police investigation started Nov. 1, according to a Vancouver police incident report obtained Friday by The Columbian under the state’s Public Records Act.
Levi Cantrell, a bus driver for Evergreen Public Schools and volunteer Clark College track and field coach, told Vancouver police that multiple Clark students came to him about Frasier acting inappropriately toward female athletes. He said he reported it to Clark College, according to the police report.
The allegations included Frasier texting athletes late at night, favoring female athletes, taking screenshots of athletes’ photos, asking athletes about their relationship statuses, liking students’ bikini photos on social media, and hugging and placing his hand on the small of an athlete’s lower back, according to court records and the police report.
Frasier was named Clark College’s head cross country and track and field coach in 2022. He spent 12 years as Fort Vancouver High School’s cross country coach until accepting the college coaching job. He built the Fort boys and girls programs. He was named Northwest Athletic Conference Southern Region Men’s Coach of the Year in his first year coaching cross country at Clark and NWAC Women’s Coach of the Year for track, according to his athletics bio.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include Vancouver Public Schools’ Feb. 19 confirmation that Frasier remains on leave.
