Document given to Athletic Director Barry Collier after the 2011-2012 basketball season, provided by a former women’s basketball player to The Collegian.
• In the middle of the 2009-2010 season, one player left the team because she felt the head coach was forcing her out through mental abuse.
• During the 2009-2010 Butler women’s basketball season, after losing on the road to Cleveland State, the team ran 36 sprints and continued an enduring practice afterwards…She did not give the scouting report for the next day’s game against Youngstown University.
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• During the 2010-2011 season, one player missed a game in order to take the required pharmacy test (PCAT). She was later reprimanded by the head coach for missing the game and was told to “get her priorities straightened out” and her scholarship was directly threatened.
• During the 2010-2011 season, one player had an irritated achilles tendon and was prescribed to wear a medical boot for at least a month. Once released from the boot, she was told to limit her activity. However, after a loss, the entire team was directed to run 23 down and backs. The player felt like she had to run to please the coaches. On the 16th down and back, her tendon flared and she felt like she could not run any further. She was kicked out of practice for not finishing the sprints.
• During the 2010-2011 Butler women’s basketball season, a player had strep throat. After having a conversation with the head coach, the player felt that she had to compromise her health in order to preserve her starting position for the next day’s game. Fellow teammates voiced how they felt that the coach was being unfair. The two were not aware that their remarks were taken to the head coach and in consequence of their opinion, they were kicked out of practice.
• At the end of the 2010-2011 season, two players left the team because they felt they were being mentally mistreated.
• After the 2010-2011 season, two players both had a chance to go to Houston, Texas, to support the men’s basketball team in their final four games. Both players asked the head coach for permission to go because they would be missing two lifts and an individual post-season workout. Both girls planned on making up the workouts they would be missing. Later that day in front of the entire team the head coach said, “for those of you who want to go to Houston, you can because I don’t want to be known as the coach that wouldn’t allow you to go.” Then she went on to say that if the girls chose to go, it would not be a good decision. Both players felt manipulated and confused by the situation and chose not to go in fear of being treated badly by the coach. When all the players were recruited, the coach told them that both basketball teams (men’s and women’s) we’re very supportive of one another. The two players felt that the way the coach handled this situation went exactly against supporting the men’s team.
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•After losing to IPFW on November 21, 2011, the head coach said the following to her players on the bus ride home: “You will fear me,” “You will not break me, I will break you,” “Don’t wear your Butler practice gear tomorrow because you’re a disgrace to the program,” and “I’ve made the decision that you guys are going to play out of fear of me.” These comments made players of the basketball team feel degraded, scared, and unmotivated to play basketball.
•At 7 am on November 22, 2011 (the morning after losing to IPFW), the team ran 20 suicides in 20 minutes as punishment. After running, the players were told the following by the head coach: “We’re going to practice at the HRC later today because you guys don’t deserve to play in Hinkle,” and “I’m dreading to go to Reno because I don’t want to put on a fake smile for your parents.” These remarks made players of the basketball team feel humiliated.
•After losing to Detroit on December 29, 2012, the head coach met with her players and staff the next day and told them to get her a “f*****g rental car because [she’s] going home, and [she] can’t handle this s**t anymore,” and stormed out of the room. The players experienced fear and intimidation after the incident. They felt like there was nothing they could do correctly to please the coach.
•In the middle of the 2011-2012 season, a player experienced severe foot pain. The player was asked to go into the head coach’s office and was told by the head coach, “You can either play or go to the doctor.” The player perceived the coach’s comment as a threat and felt like she had to compromise her health in order to make the coach happy.
•In the locker room on January 14, 2012 (after losing to Valparaiso), the head coach yelled and screamed the following at her players: “I better not see you guys hugging or smiling to your parents. You can say hi, but then you get your asses on the bus,” and “I’m keeping a file on everyone, including the managers, that way I’m prepared when my boss comes to me.” These remarks made players on the team feel a sense of helplessness and abuse.
•When the players were on their way back to Indianapolis after losing to Valparaiso (January 14, 2012), the coach asked them to write down the seven players they thought should play. The players didn’t like being put in that position because they felt that everyone equally puts in hard work every single day.
•On February 11, 2012, the head coach gave an inspiring breast cancer speech to both teams as well as the fans before the game and said, “We are all winners and I want everyone to realize that this cause is much more important than the outcome of the game.” However, after losing to Valparaiso, the head coach yelled at her team for forty minutes and said, “I will never promote another breast cancer game. I can’t believe you guys performed like that in front of 1,400 people. I sure hope none of you get cancer because you don’t know how to fight and won’t survive.” These comments were perceived as mixed signals by the players and the latter comment made the players feel degraded as a person.
•During practice on March 2, 2012, the head coach threatened to kick her players out of practice for encouraging a player after she felt beat down from a drill. The head coach screamed, “You don’t care about my feelings. You don’t care that I haven’t slept all week. What about me?” Getting yelled at for encouraging a teammate made the players feel uncomfortable and confused.
