Fans injured after Toledo upset of Pitt

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, September 23, 2003

TOLEDO - The University of Toledo will review crowd control and other issues surrounding a postgame celebration over the weekend that left two students seriously injured.

University President Dan Johnson announced Monday that he has created a committee that will look into what happened.

''My goal is not only to determine what happened, but … to ensure tragedies like this do not happen again,'' he said in a statement.

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The two were hurt in separate incidents following Toledo's upset victory over Pittsburgh on Saturday night after fans rushed the field and tore down both goal posts, campus police Chief John Dauer said.

Joe Moening, 21, underwent five hours of surgery Sunday to repair crushed vertebrae of the lower spine, said his sister, Allison Dollman.

Esther Munn, 22, was hit in the head when fans tried to dump the goal post into a river near the stadium.

''She was trying to turn to get out of the way and one of the goal posts struck her in the head,'' Dauer said.

The students were being treated at Toledo Hospital, which would not release their conditions on Monday. Munn was in critical condition and Moening in serious condition Sunday night.

Students rushed onto the field after Toledo scored twice in the final seven minutes to upset then No. 9 Pitt 35-31.