U. women’s basketball player threatened before game

A threat against a member of the University’s women’s basketball team was phoned in to the University of Maryland athletics department on Monday, USA Todayreported.

Leslie Robinson ’18, a forward on the women’s basketball team and the niece of First Lady Michelle Obama ’85 and President Barack Obama, was at the University of Maryland on Monday to play the Maryland Terrapins during the second round of the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament.

Further investigation by the University of Maryland’s Police Department indicated the threat was unsubstantiated.

Robinson declined to comment.

University of Maryland athletics department spokesman Zack Bolno deferred comment to the UMPD.UMPD’s public relations officer did not respond to a request for comment.

The athletics department received a call around 3 p.m. on Monday, according to a statement released by UMPD. The caller stated that her male acquaintance had mentioned Robinson’s name and was in possession of a handgun.

The person may have been driving around campus, USA Today reported, adding that undercover security personnel were stationed near the Princeton bench during the game in light of the threat.

UMPD also notified the Secret Service, whose agents were also present at the game to accompany Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor ’76 and Elena Kagan ’81, who attended the game that night, USA Today said.

A Secret Service spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.

The University was notified of the threat, University spokesperson Martin Mbugua said.

“We are aware of the matter as reported by the University of Maryland Police Department,” he said, adding he could not comment on whether the University has taken any action based on this information due to security reasons.

The women’s basketball game concluded without incident.