Former A&T women’s basketball player says coaches failed to report a sexual assault, created a toxic environment - WGHP FOX 8 Greensboro

June 26, 2019 at 07:48AM

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GREENSBORO, N.C. -- A former A&T women's basketball player says coaches at the university failed to report a sexual assault and created a toxic environment.

The experience led her to have suicidal thoughts.

"I couldn't sleep ," Morgan Batie said. "I was having sleep paralysis and I was having anxiety."

Batie says coaches for the women's basketball team body shamed her and disclosed personal information to other people.

"I felt like I was trash," Batie said.

She shared her concerns with two coaches this winter and also told them about a sexual assault she experienced last year.

"I just wanted to be like this is what's wrong with me. This has been hurting me," Batie said. "I just need help. I need guidance."

On Tuesday, FOX8 learned the university's Title IX office found Batie's claim that two of the basketball staff never reported the sexual assault was substantiated.

"If they would've reported it, I could have at least got some help with my depression," Batie said. "At least something, at least someone could've called me and acted like they cared. After that, I felt like no one cared."

The Title IX office found most of her other complaints, including the verbal abuse, were unsubstantiated.

"There's a difference between being tough and being abusive," Batie said.

Batie says she quit the team in January. Now, she wants some of the coaches fired, a public apology and to keep her athletic scholarship. She says it's the least the university can do after all she has been through.

"No one should want to hurt themselves or lose their life over a game," Batie said.

School leaders are not saying much other than releasing a short statement that says in part "...We cannot speak to individual investigations involving students or employees due to federal and state laws that protect their confidentiality."

FOX8 did put in a request to obtain the current employment status of the two coaches, but the university did not respond.

A few months ago, a cheerleader at the school said her coaches failed to take action after she told them about an off campus rape.

The cheerleader spoke with FOX8 on Tuesday. She wasn't surprised about the new claims against the other coaches. She said A&T is a good school, but some people are in positions they shouldn't be in.

36.072635-79.791975

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- A former A&T women's basketball player says coaches at the university failed to report a sexual assault and created a toxic environment.

The experience led her to have suicidal thoughts.

"I couldn't sleep ," Morgan Batie said. "I was having sleep paralysis and I was having anxiety."

Batie says coaches for the women's basketball team body shamed her and disclosed personal information to other people.

"I felt like I was trash," Batie said.

She shared her concerns with two coaches this winter and also told them about a sexual assault she experienced last year.

"I just wanted to be like this is what's wrong with me. This has been hurting me," Batie said. "I just need help. I need guidance."

On Tuesday, FOX8 learned the university's Title IX office found Batie's claim that two of the basketball staff never reported the sexual assault was substantiated.

"If they would've reported it, I could have at least got some help with my depression," Batie said. "At least something, at least someone could've called me and acted like they cared. After that, I felt like no one cared."

The Title IX office found most of her other complaints, including the verbal abuse, were unsubstantiated.

"There's a difference between being tough and being abusive," Batie said.

Batie says she quit the team in January. Now, she wants some of the coaches fired, a public apology and to keep her athletic scholarship. She says it's the least the university can do after all she has been through.

"No one should want to hurt themselves or lose their life over a game," Batie said.

School leaders are not saying much other than releasing a short statement that says in part "...We cannot speak to individual investigations involving students or employees due to federal and state laws that protect their confidentiality."

FOX8 did put in a request to obtain the current employment status of the two coaches, but the university did not respond.

A few months ago, a cheerleader at the school said her coaches failed to take action after she told them about an off campus rape.

The cheerleader spoke with FOX8 on Tuesday. She wasn't surprised about the new claims against the other coaches. She said A&T is a good school, but some people are in positions they shouldn't be in.

36.072635-79.791975

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