The former executive assistant of fired University of Michigan head football coach Sherrone Moore claims through her lawyers that Moore used his platform to harass her for multiple years.
According to USA TODAY, citing a report Monday by the Detroit Free Press on March 9, Moore had an affair with Paige Shiver, his former executive assistant, and entered her apartment after being fired by Michigan following the 2025 season. The Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, obtained the first public statement tied to Shiver on March 6.
As reported by Austin Curtright of USA TODAY, the statement was made after Moore and prosecutors agreed to a deal where he pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors, thus avoiding a felony charge. Shiver's lawyers called out the university in the statement.
"This case is about far more than one terrifying incident," the statement read from Andrew M. Stroth and Steven A. Hart, two Chicago-based lawyers, as reported by USA TODAY. "It raises urgent and troubling questions about how a powerful figure within a major university athletic program was able to engage in years of inappropriate conduct toward a subordinate without meaningful intervention or oversight.
"Our client believes strongly that she may not be the only person who experienced inappropriate, coercive, or predatory behavior from this individual."
Stroth said in an interview on Saturday that Shiver hired him and Hart months ago, and they only spoke publicly for the first time due to Moore's criminal case concluding. They called out "systemic failures" in Michigan's athletic department, Curtright reported.
"The University of Michigan is one of the most well-regarded institutions in the world, yet they have an athletic department that has a pattern and practice of systemic failures," Stroth said. "Our pursuit on behalf of Ms. Shiver is to get some level of accountability and justice so this doesn’t happen to other individuals."
Related: Michigan Has Paid Law Firm Over $2M for Ongoing Sherrone Moore Investigation
Moore, 40, pleaded no contest March 6 to "malicious use of service provided by telecommunications service provider" and trespassing. Prosecutors dropped a felony charge and two other misdemeanors. Moore faces sentencing April 14 but isn't expected to serve jail time.
Moore was fired from Michigan after two seasons on Dec. 10 following an investigation that found he was having an inappropriate relationship with Shiver. After he was fired, Moore entered her apartment and picked up two butter knives, although he denies assaulting or threatening her.
Related: Sherrone Moore Fired by Michigan, Detained by Law Enforcement Over Assault Allegations
A Michigan spokesperson confirmed to the Detroit Free Press that Shiver is no longer employed by the university after her contract wasn't renewed in February.
As reported by Jeff Bilbrey of Yahoo Sports, Michigan's interim president, Domenico Grasso, previously addressed the situation in a video message.
“We are continuing the investigation of Coach Moore’s actions to uncover any additional germane and material information and to assess whether there may be related misconduct by others,” Grasso said. “And we will not stop there. We have expanded the Jenner & Block assignment to include an independent evaluation of culture, conduct and procedures throughout our athletics department. In parallel, we are committed to strengthening the functional capacity of our university-wide Ethics, Integrity, and Compliance Office within the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.”
Shiver’s legal team believes the university’s investigation must look beyond Moore’s individual actions, Bilbrey reported.
“Institutions entrusted with the education and safety of students and employees have a fundamental duty to ensure that power is never used to exploit or silence others,” the team's statement said, as reported by Yahoo Sports. “A thorough and transparent investigation into this conduct — and any related institutional failures — must occur. Our client came forward at tremendous personal cost because she believes that silence allows abuse of power to continue.”
