Boston University has launched an investigation into the school’s women’s basketball program after four players left the team this academic year citing mistreatment from the team’s coach, Kelly Greenberg, according to The Boston Globe.
Of the four players who left the team, two walked away from their $60,000-a-year scholarships, another is scheduled to graduate in May, and the fourth remains in school, her financial status to be determined.
“I was so grateful to go to such a prestigious and expensive school and be given a full scholarship to play there,’’ Dana Theobald said. “I arrived feeling very confident and motivated. Then I felt bullied, threatened, and emotionally abused by the coach. By the time I left, she had demolished me as a person.’’
Theobald withdrew from the school in October.
The three other departed players said they experienced varying degrees of emotional abuse from Greenberg. The former players told The Globe they know the difference between a “constructively aggressive coach and a bully.”
“All the yelling and screaming about basketball was fine,’’ former player Dionna Joynes said. “Basketball is a contact sport. We have all played for tough coaches. But I went to BU because I believed Greenberg was a great coach, and I was shocked by how it turned out.’’
The four former players said Greenberg would tell them they were selfish, uncaring teammates, especially when they were injured. The abuse drove Joynes to have suicidal thoughts after Greenberg called Joynes selfish when she suffered a concussion.
Greenberg finished her 10th season as BU’s head coach last week with a record of 13-20, her worst during her tenure at the school. She is in the final year of a contract extension with the school.
Greenberg declined through a school spokesperson to comment on the story.
