Six former players sue major college basketball program over coach’s alleged ‘harassment’

Six former women’s basketball players at the University of Pittsburgh are suing the school and its head coach over alleged mistreatment.

The players claim women’s basketball head coach Tory Verdi created a hostile environment, psychologically abused players, and then retaliated against them when they complained, according to a lawsuit filed Friday in Pittsburgh.

The individual lawsuits, obtained by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, detail alleged violations of Title IX, a law that forbids discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities receiving federal funding.

The lawsuits were filed by former players Favor Ayodele, Raeven Boswell, Makayla Elmore, Brooklynn Miles, Isabella Perkins and Jasmine Timmerson. The suits also claim that the university was aware of players’ complaints about Verdi, but took no action.

“This case is not about the Xs and Os of coaching,” attorney Keenan Holmes, who is representing the women, told the Tribune-Review. “Some of his actions go beyond sports. This went beyond the bounds of decency.”

open image in gallery

“We’re looking for Pitt to do the right thing to make sure other players don’t have the same experience,” Holmes said.

In a statement, a university spokesperson told The Independent, “The University is aware of these lawsuits and their allegations, which are without merit and will be vigorously defended.”

Several of the women were on scholarships to play Division I basketball at Pitt when they experienced the alleged mistreatment. In her complaint, Perkins said she was recruited and promised “an inclusive, empowering team environment.”

However, after joining, she faced repeated “public humiliation, verbal degradation, arbitrary reductions in playing time, exclusion from team activities, favoritism of other players, manipulation of player statistics and inappropriate commentary regarding plaintiff’s physical appearance, emotional state, and performance,” according to the suit.

Perkin’s lawsuit, as well as the others, claim that the university, coaching staff and administrators knew about their issues with Verdi, but took no action.

open image in gallery

The lawsuits also claimed that players who complained about Verdi were retaliated against.

Team culture under Verdi is described in the lawsuits as being “coercive, degrading and emotionally destabilizing.”

One incident mentioned in the lawsuits describes how, after a practice, Verdi told the team, “Every night I lie in bed I want to kill myself because of you.”

The lawsuits also claim that Verdi intentionally tried to cause issues between players of different races by pitting them against each other. On one occasion, Verdi is accused of “asserting that players ‘hung out’ only with others of the same race.”

The women are seeking monetary damages, as well as a declaration that the university violated Title IX.

Pitt’s women’s basketball team is having a rough season, going 8-17 overall and 1-11 in the ACC, placing them near the bottom of the conference, according to the report.