Utah Releases More Details On Racial Hate Crimes Directed at Women's Basketball Team

The University of Utah has released more information about the incidents of racial hate directed at the school's women's basketball team while staying at a hotel in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, during the first week of the NCAA D-I tournament.

A statement from athletic director Mark Harlan, deputy athletic director Charmelle Green, and head coach Lynne Roberts explained that the team had a "racially disparaging words" shouted at them by people driving past them in cars. 

The statement reads in part: 

“The University of Utah and members of our women’s basketball team, band and spirit teams, staff, administrators and supporters, continue to be deeply troubled and shaken by the hateful and disturbing actions and vitriol directed toward them in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, last Thursday evening. The incidents occurred shortly after the traveling party arrived in the area to participate in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament’s First and Second Rounds hosted by Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.

There were two separate disturbing encounters. First, as the travelling party was walking to a restaurant for dinner in the vicinity of their hotel, a vehicle drove by and occupants shouted racial epithets at the group. Second, on the walk back to the hotel, a vehicle slowly passed the group, revving its engine with its occupants again shouting racially disparaging words and threats. A police report was filed later Thursday evening with the City of Coeur d’Alene Police Department, and we will continue to work with the authorities in their investigation.”    

While the tournament was in Spokane, Wash., the team was placed in a hotel in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, more than 30 minutes away, a decision that Utah Athletics said they were "very disappointed" by. 

“As we continue to heal, we remain very disappointed in the decision to assign our team to hotels such a great distance from the competition site, in another state," the statement read. "We will work with NCAA leadership to make it clear that being so far removed from the site was unacceptable and a contributing factor to the impact of this incident.”

The Utah team expressed gratitude for statements from Gonzaga University and Coeur d'Alene mayor Jim Hammond for their statements denouncing the incidents. 

“On behalf of the city of Coeur d’Alene and all of its communities, I strongly condemn the appalling treatment of the female college athletes who were visiting,” Jim Hammond, mayor of Coeur d’Alene said.

Hammond said he reached out to the President’s Office at the University of Utah but has not heard back yet. He said he would like to speak with the staff and team.

“We express regret and true sorrow that your student-athletes were treated with such disdainful treatment,” he continued.  “To the young women who endured racial slurs while visiting, I offer my most sincere apology.”

In investigation into the incidents has now been launched by the Coeur d'Alene police department.