Idaho volleyball head coach Chris Gonzalez routinely pressured Vandals players who had not been cleared to play or practice by the school’s sports medicine staff to participate in matches, withheld pre-ordered food from players after losses, physically pushed players during practices, bullied and body shamed athletes. and on multiple occasions touched players without getting prior permission from them, making the women uncomfortable, according to summaries of player interviews conducted by attorneys hired by the university to investigate the culture of the volleyball program under Gonzalez.
The interview summaries, obtained by the Southern California News Group, detail what one Idaho starter described as a “fear-based environment” created by Gonzalez and substantiate allegations first revealed in a 9,000-word SCNG report in December that in turn prompted an expansion of a university-commissioned investigation.
Player interactions with Gonzalez, one starter told investigators were “70 percent negative.”The summaries portray Gonzalez, the Southern California native and former U.S. national team coach who is 5-51 overall, 1-32 in Big Sky Conference play in two seasons at Idaho, as a coach who has failed to connect with his players and often lashed out in frustration. The Vandals have lost 24 consecutive Big Sky matches.
“He had ideas of how he wanted things done, but his explanations were confusing or incomplete,” middle blocker Emma Patterson told investigators. “He often did not explain the ‘how,’ just the result. He would get upset and frustrated when they did not understand and kick athletes out of drills.”
The summaries also detail how the players repeatedly voiced concerns to athletic director Terry Gawlik that Gonzalez and his staff were putting their physical safety and mental health at risk early in 2022-23 academic year but that Gawlik was dismissive toward them and their concerns.
Players said they have been told by attorneys for…
Read the full article here
