The situation involving a University of Missouri-Kansas City assistant softball coach and complaints of sexual harassment continues to evolve.
A report in The Kansas City Star cited three now former UMKC softball players, who alleged that assistant coach Greg Bachkora had entered the team locker room unannounced, when players were in various states of undress.
The situation involving a University of Missouri-Kansas City assistant softball coach and complaints of sexual harassment continues to evolve.
A report in The Kansas City Star cited three now former UMKC softball players, who alleged that assistant coach Greg Bachkora had entered the team locker room unannounced, when players were in various states of undress.
A spat between current and former players unfolded, wherein the accusers stood by their stories and current players signed an open letter disputing those stories.
Now, UMKC student newspaper the University News is reporting that a number of current players claim to have had multiple conversations with their former teammates about ways to get members of the coaching staff fired, prior to any complaint about Bachkora coming to light. U-News cited five current players who said that conversations about getting coaches fired happened in the midst of a losing streak.
The accusations against Bachkora came from three players who are no longer with the UMKC program. According to the U-News, each was disciplined for having taken high school recruits to an off-campus party, along with other team members who remain a part of the program. Not long afterwards, the three now former players had either left the school voluntarily, or been told that their scholarships would not be renewed over “resistance to disciplinary actions.”
According to a summary of the disciplinary action, it was then that the three players spoke to then-athletic director Carla Wilson to complain about Bachkora.
The accusing players say that they did not complain as a way to strike back at the program for disciplining them, but that they felt a sense of freedom after being dismissed and that they had made a “friend pact” to file their complaints. The complaints were referred to the Title IX office, which did not recommend disciplinary action against Bachkora after interviewing him.
Current players have claimed that the allegations leveled at Bachkora don’t add up, in part because of the layout of the locker room would prevent someone entering the locker room to see into the changing area.
Bachkora is currently on a leave of absence while the athletic department conducts a review of the softball program.
Related: Players Rally to Support Accused Softball Coach
