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NKU women’s basketball player Taryn Taugher accuses head coach Whitaker of emotional abuse


NKyTribune staff

Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball player Taryn Taugher has made allegations of emotional abuse against Norse head coach Camryn Whitaker in a first-person account published in The Odyssey.

In her article, “Behind Closed Doors: Abuse In Northern Kentucky University Women’s Basketball Program,” Taugher also claims the abuse by Whitaker “has been swept under the rug by the athletic department for three years.”

Taryn Taugher

Taugher, a senior guard from Freeland, Mich., who just completed her final season with NKU, wrote in her article, “These verbal attacks were mostly behind closed doors, in her office, on what she liked to call the “crying couch” where it was your word against hers. Where she could get you alone and tear you apart. These meetings were mostly done weekly and before games, so you were so messed up from your beat-up-session that you couldn’t possibly play well by game time. Personal attacks on your family, personality, work-ethic, and body physique were also not uncommon. Questioning my own self-worth became a huge struggle for me. This woman is telling me that I am basically nothing: that I am lazy, not a good leader, that I suck the life out of people; maybe I was?

“It became hard to sleep. I would cry a lot, sometimes for no reason. I was anxious all the time and it increased significantly if I was in the same building as Coach Whitaker. What used to be joy and passion quickly became fear and numbness as I stepped into practice. Basketball became something that I no longer loved but associated with being emotionally abused.”

Taugher also pointed out alleged abuse suffered by current and former teammates in the article.

NKU released the following statement when asked for a response to Taugher’s allegations: “The well-being of our student-athletes is of the utmost importance and when concerns are raised about our programs, they are appropriately reviewed, evaluated, and addressed. The university is aware of complaints surrounding the women’s basketball program.

“We recognize the courage it takes to share personal stories. We have taken these complaints seriously and they have been thoroughly reviewed separately by the Title IX and Athletics offices, and addressed in accordance with university policy. There are ongoing efforts to improve communications and relationships between the program’s leadership and student-athletes.

“We are committed to fostering a safe, healthy and inclusive learning environment for anyone who is a part of our campus community. Our students’ voices will be heard and the Athletics office will continue to monitor and assess our programs, taking appropriate corrective actions as needed.”

(Information compiled from NKU and staff reports)


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One Comment

  1. Henry Sun says:

    “We recognize the courage it takes to share personal stories. We have taken these complaints seriously and they have been thoroughly reviewed separately by the Title IX and Athletics offices, and addressed in accordance with university policy.”

    Translation: The bully-b***h gets to keep her job.

    Shameful and deplorable. I hope that parents of the current student athletes read this and pull their daughters from the team…

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