Six former women’s basketball players filed civil lawsuits against the University of Pittsburgh and head women’s basketball coach Torry Verdi, alleging Title IX violations, mistreatment and abuse.
According to CBS Sports, Favor Ayodele, Raeven Boswell, Makayla Elmore, Brooklynn Miles, Isabella Perkins and Jasmine Timmerson filed their lawsuits on Friday, and all of these former women’s basketball players are represented by attorney Keenan Holmes.
The women allege that Verdi, who has been the head women’s basketball coach since the 2023-24 season, caused them “emotional, psychological, and physical abuse” and created a “hostile, discriminatory, and retaliatory environment.”
Several specific incidents are referenced in the lawsuits, including Verdi denying players’ medical care, forcing them to practice and compete despite being injured, and treating athletes of color more harshly.
According to the women’s stories, Verdi also spoke inappropriately to them on several occasions. He said, “Every night I lay in bed I want to kill myself because of you,” after practice in his first season, and he also allegedly threatened one international student-athlete that “ICE is coming.”
According to NBC News, the women claim that the university was made aware of these incidents through reports from student-athletes and other coaches, but Pitt took no action against Verdi. To make matters worse, they also allege that those who reported Verdi’s behavior were then retaliated against by Verdi, losing playing time or, in certain cases, being cut from the team altogether.
In the wake of the lawsuits, Pitt released a statement claiming the allegations are “without merit and will be vigorously defended.”
"Our clients look forward to having their claims addressed through the judicial process, where the facts can be fully developed and evaluated," Holmes said.
Ayodele, Boswell, Elmore, Miles, Perkins and Timmerson are seeking financial damages as well as acknowledgement from the university that it failed to respond to the Title IX violations.
