WORCESTER (MA)
Ottawa Citizen
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS OCTOBER 18, 2013
WORCESTER, Mass. – Former Holy Cross women’s basketball players are coming forward to defend longtime coach Bill Gibbons following a lawsuit by a former player that accused him of physical and emotional abuse.
More than 50 former players, managers and coaches have signed a letter that refers to Gibbons as a “father figure” and someone they consulted when facing critical life decisions.
“Above all, he was a leader who always taught us to do right and — more importantly — to be ‘men and women for others’ in the Jesuit tradition,” the letter reads.
Gibbons, who’s coached at Holy Cross for 28 years, voluntarily went on paid administrative leave this week while the college looks into allegations by former player Ashley Cooper. The 20-year-old says Gibbons grabbed her, shook her and struck her at different times, including once during a game when he left a red hand print.
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