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Former Students Shocked by Allegations against Women’s Basketball Coach

NECN
October 17, 2013

http://www.necn.com/10/16/13/Former-students-shocked-by-allegations-a/landing.html?blockID=855305&feedID=11106

[with video]

(NECN: Mike Cronin) - A lawsuit filed by a former student athlete alleges Holy Cross women's basketball coach, Bill Gibbons, was verbally, emotionally and physically abusive to players. Twenty-year-old Ashley Cooper attended Holy Cross for two years on a full athletic scholarship.

The lawsuit filed Tuesday says "Gibbons repeatedly and violently yanked and pulled... Cooper by her shirt collar and strongly squeezed the back of her neck causing pain while barking instructions in her face at close range."

“I've never seen anything to that effect,” said Lauren Maney George, who played for Gibbons.

Former players are shocked by the allegations. A support group was set up for Gibbons on Facebook, and some alumni gathered at Holy Cross Wednesday.

“We're personally offended that people would say this about someone that we love and cherish. We're upset that she would try to imply that the alumni feel this way too because we do not. Emphatically no,” George said.

The lawsuit says Gibbons hit Cooper and other players on multiple occasions. It says Cooper had no choice but to transfer to another school.

The following is what she said about her freshmen experience two years ago:

“The girls and the coaches have installed a lot of confidence in me and talked me through things and if I do forget something, they'll remind me where to go on the court.”

Cooper is suing Gibbons and school administration, claiming the school tried to cover up Gibbon's behavior.

Holy Cross says:

"Ms. Cooper had brought her concern to the college and we investigated at that time. The lawsuit we received today includes a series of new allegations and we will now bring in outside counsel to review them."

The lawsuit says Cooper's self-esteem and love for basketball suffered, but some former players they're experience was just the opposite.

“We played so hard for him because he looked at us as his own daughters,” said Anna Kinne Patel. “There was never a sign of this. Coaching, he's passionate.”

 

 

 

 

 




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