Staff report
Northern Kentucky University is conducting “an independent, external review and assessment” of its women’s basketball program in the wake of allegations against head coach Camryn Whitaker.
A spokesperson for NKU issued this statement: “Northern Kentucky University values all of its students, including its student-athletes. In response to new concerns raised by former women’s basketball student-athletes, NKU will conduct an independent, external review and assessment of the program.”
A few former women players, including Taryn Taugher, have made allegations of emotional abuse against head coach Whitaker.
In a NKyTribune story last week reporting on an article Taugher wrote for The Odyssey, an online platform, Taugher claimed the abuse by Whitaker “has been swept under the rug by the athletic department for three years.”
Taugher has completed her final season with the Norse.
Meanwhile, eight members of the Northern Kentucky University’s women’s basketball team have penned a letter in response to Taugher’s allegations.
The NKU players’ open letter was also published in The Odyssey.
The letter:
Hello Norse Nation,
To begin, we want to thank all of you – our fans, supporters, and community – for your continued support as we work to build the NKU women’s basketball program. We want you to know that we are still working hard to improve in order to reach this goal. Thank you for your loyalty and lifting us up during this period of growth.
If you have followed the news this week, you are probably aware of the serious allegations made against our head coach. We respect and value the fact that every individual has the right to voice their opinions based on their personal experiences. In support of our coach and program, we believe it is important to share our experiences regarding these recent allegations.
Coach Camryn Whitaker
College athletics are demanding. Until you experience it, the demands are hard to understand. Balancing weightlifting, intense workouts, daily practice, team meetings, traveling, classwork, and so much more can be overwhelming at times. Every single individual on this team has struggled in some way due to the high demand of collegiate athletics. We dare say that every Division I athlete has faced similar struggles in managing these demands.
The key takeaway of this letter should be: The demands and hardships are not and have not exceeded the expected amount. In fact, we believe the struggles of today will only benefit us in the future. We will be better athletes, employees, and individuals because we are pushed to be our best.
Our experience on the Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team has been positive from day one to now, despite the demands and struggles. NKU has been where we have formed our closest friendships and created our best memories. It’s also provided us a high-quality education that will lay the foundation for our future careers while shaping us into strong, independent, young women.
We love and support our staff. Above all else, we believe they care about our well-being. In the final weeks of our season, we saw improvement and were making progress toward our goal, and are already looking forward to getting back on the court to compete for the university and community we love. We are proud to represent Northern Kentucky University, and we hope we make you proud on the court, in the classroom, and in the real world. Thank you, Norse Nation.
Sincerely,
NKU Women’s Basketball Players
#1 Grace White
#4 Taylor Clos
#10 Grayson Rose
#13 Jazmyne Geist
#23 Kailey Coffey
#24 Molly Glick
#25 Ally Niece
#30 Emmy Souder
She needs to be fired and the school put on probation.