Wednesday, The Daily broke the news that the Stanford Band terminated Erin Lashnits’ run as Tree after she violated the Band’s no-alcohol policy during last Thursday’s 65-62 loss at UC-Berkeley. Yesterday, Lashnits apologized for being intoxicated at the game, but denied a claim in the San Francisco Chronicle that she had been drinking at the game.

“She was taking drinks inside the tree,” Cal assistant athletic director Kevin Klintworth told the Chronicle. “The officers could see the flask through the costume.”

“I did not have a flask,” Lashnits said. “I was not drinking at the stadium. I did not drink from a flask. I don’t know how many other ways to put it. I would never bring in a flask to Cal’s stadium. I’m not that stupid.”

The Chronicle also reported that police cited Lashnits, a claim that she denies.

“I was not cited, said Lashnits, 22, a coterminal student in biological sciences and former varsity diver. “I was not arrested. Nothing legal [in nature] happened. They simply asked me to take my costume off and then escorted me into the stands.”

Lashnits registered a BAC of .157 at halftime, nearly twice the legal limit of .08. Although Lashnits is of legal drinking age, she was in violation of the zero-tolerance alcohol policy the University imposed on the Band in 2003.

“I made a bad decision and I wish I could take it back,” said Lashnits, as quoted by the Chronicle. “I’d like to put this whole thing behind me. The last thing I want to do is hurt the Stanford Band.”

While the incident at Berkeley is the event that ultimately led to Lashnits’ dismissal — and the one that has garnered the lion’s share of national headlines in a story that has made ESPN, and newspapers, radio and television outlets in every corner of the country — Lashnits and band members alike insist that it was not the sole cause. Band Public Relations Director Sam Urmy added attendance, punctuality and “attitude to her position” as chronic problems.