Duquesne University basketball player charged with assault

A Duquesne University basketball player has been charged with simple assault for allegedly punching a woman during an argument last month.

Pittsburgh police filed the charges against city resident Maximus Edwards, 23, on Aug. 3.

The woman, who Edwards knows, reportedly flagged down officers at the intersection of Penn Avenue and Garrison Place that day.

According to the criminal complaint, Edwards became irate with the woman over the phone due to her following a member of the Duquesne football team on social media.

The woman told police Edwards repeatedly called her throughout the day.

She had been driving along Penn Avenue with a friend when she saw Edwards walking with a group of friends.

The woman pulled over in a parking lot to speak with Edwards and the two got into an argument, the complaint read.

Edwards allegedly pulled the woman out of her vehicle and punched her in the mouth. He then allegedly pressed his elbow against her throat, pinning her to the side of her vehicle.

The woman told police she was unsure if she was able to breathe during the assault, but did not lose consciousness, the complaint read.

Edwards and his friends then allegedly fled on foot down Penn Avenue.

Police said they observed fresh scratches on the woman’s neck and her lip was red and swollen. She was treated by medics at the scene and declined transportation, the complaint read.

“The University is aware of the issue,” a Duquesne spokesman wrote in a response to a request for comment. “We do not and cannot talk publicly about conduct matters related to students due to federal privacy laws.”

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Nov. 13 at Pittsburgh Municipal Court.

Edwards is a redshirt senior guard on the Dukes men’s basketball team. He spent two seasons at George Washington before transferring to Duquesne before the 2024-25 season.

Last winter, he averaged 8.3 points and 3.6 rebounds and shot 43.7% from the field.