More Northern Kentucky women's basketball players speak out about alleged abusive treatment from coach
Another Northern Kentucky women’s basketball player has come forward alleging abusive behavior by NKU head coach Camryn Whitaker.
Shar’Rae Davis, whose senior season at NKU was Whitaker’s first as the program’s head coach, alleged in an interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer that Whitaker used her medical condition to punish her and the team. Davis, who has ulcerative colitis, also alleged that Whitaker isolated her from the rest of the team, including banning teammates from eating or sharing a hotel room with her on road trips because of her condition, which causes “unexpected, urgent trips to the bathroom.”
In one instance, when Davis had to rush out of practice to use the bathroom, she says Whitaker forced the rest of the team to run sprints until Davis returned to the court.
Davis was compelled to come forward after Taryn Taugher did so last week. Taugher, a senior on this season’s team, posted an article detailing “emotional abuse” and “bullying” from Whitaker. Three other NKU players backed up their accounts while eight others, all current players, have publicly supported Whitaker.
The father of another player told the Enquirer that there was a “toxic environment” in Whitaker’s program. Barry Mungar, the father of Reece Mungar, told the Enquirer that he felt compelled to step in and intervene in order to keep his daughter “mentally and physically safe.” Reece Mungar, who just completed her sophomore season, plans to transfer to another school.
From the Enquirer:
After two years of hearing about and seeing a “toxic environment,” Barry Mungar stepped in to keep his daughter “mentally and physically safe.” He said he contacted the athletic director and Title IX office, sent a letter to NKU’s president and spoke to the university’s NCAA compliance officials about the problems.
Another player, Kasey Uetrecht, confirmed to the Enquirer that she went to the university’s Title IX office for help and later left the program.
“I was at such a low point in my life,” Uetrecht told the paper. “I had never felt so broken before and she had completely destroyed any confidence or love for the game I had.”
Taugher’s article, which was posted on The Odyssey, detailed what it was like to play for Whitaker and backed up the accounts of Davis and Mungar. Like Uetrecht, Taugher also spoke out to the school’s Title IX office about the alleged treatment under Whitaker.
Norse Nation please read ASAP!!!!https://t.co/LxUJrUL8MK
— Taryn Taugher (@tarynyouup23) March 25, 2019
Meanwhile, Northern Kentucky said Monday night in a statement that it plans to conduct an “independent, external review and assessment” of the women’s basketball program as a whole. In three seasons at NKU, Whitaker has a 29-64 coaching record.
According to Taugher’s article, eight players have quit or transferred from NKU during that span.
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