Columbia suspends women's basketball coach Griffith at start of season after conduct review
Columbia University has handed a three-game suspension to women's basketball head coach Megan Griffith following an external review that found her behavior during practices in a prior season did not meet university expectations. The review was triggered by a complaint about Griffith's conduct and was carried out by an outside firm; the university stated that no NCAA rules violations were identified and that no anti-discrimination, Title IX, or related policy concerns were involved. Griffith will be absent from the bench when the team opens play on Nov. 2 against Davidson, and she will also miss two subsequent games at a Nashville tournament against Rhode Island and Belmont. In a public statement, Griffith said she accepts full responsibility for the times her conduct fell short and expressed regret for those interactions.
Why it matters
For coaches: The case illustrates that universities may commission external reviews of coaching behavior and impose suspensions without an NCAA rules violation being present.
For athletes: Columbia women's basketball players are directly affected, as their head coach will be absent for the first three games of the season.
Read the full story at Yahoo Sports
Sources
- Yahoo Sports · DOUG FEINBERG: Columbia suspends coach Megan Griffith for 3 games after review of coaching behavior