Washington defensive end Andru Pulu allegedly assaulted a 22-year-old man outside a party in the 5000 block of 15th Avenue Northeast late Saturday night, according to area news reports.

UW head football coach Steve Sarkisian announced yesterday that Pulu, a freshman from Federal Way, has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules but said neither the school nor the coach would have any further comment on the matter.

Pulu played in 11 games as a true freshman during the 2009 season, recording two tackles, including a half-a-sack against Idaho. He also played regularly on the kick-return team and was expected to compete for playing time at defensive end next season after backing up star defensive end Daniel Te’o-Nesheim in 2009.

His status for the beginning of spring football practices ­­— scheduled to begin March 30 — is unknown. Nobody has been arrested or charged in connection with the assault.

The names of the victim, suspect and witnesses were redacted in the police report, but The Seattle Times and seattlepi.com both confirmed independently that Pulu is a suspect in the alleged assault.

According to the police report, the suspect engaged in a verbal argument at about 12:30 a.m. with somebody else at the party, when the victim attempted to break up the fight, telling the suspect, “It’s not that big of a deal.”

The suspect told him, “It is that big of a deal,” while grabbing him around the neck, the report said, and proceeding to strike the man on the left side of his face, knocking him to the ground. The suspect, who left in an unknown direction, also stomped on the man’s right temple and knocked the victim unconscious.

The victim, who was interviewed by police shortly after 3 a.m. Sunday, told police he didn’t remember anything after the suspect grabbed him by the neck, and that the suspect was a stranger whom he could identify if he saw him again.

The victim described the suspect as a 6-foot-1, 250-pound light-skinned black male with a muscular build, who looked to be 18 to 21 years old.

Washington’s official athletics Web site lists Pulu at 6-foot-1 and 251 pounds.

The report says the victim, who was brought to the UW Medical Center at 1959 NE Pacific Street by a friend who didn’t witness the incident, suffered a broken nose and a possibly fractured cheek bone, as well as a boot print on his right temple. Two witnesses at the scene identified the suspect to police.

Reach Sports Editor Christian Caple at news@dailyuw.com.