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BU to conduct external review after women’s soccer coach harassment allegations
BU didn’t mention Alex Cooper’s allegations against Nancy Feldman but instead referred to recent reporting of allegations against former head coach Casey Brown.
Boston University said it will hire an external law group to look into their athletics department’s policies after a prominent podcaster accused a former women’s soccer coach of sexual harassment and a current student complained about her successor.
Alex Cooper, host of “Call Her Daddy” was a player on the BU women’s soccer team from 2013 to 2015. She revealed in a two-party Hulu documentary “Call Her Alex” that former coach Nancy Feldman allegedly sexually harassed her. Feldman retired in 2022.
In its statement, BU didn’t mention Cooper’s allegations or Feldman but instead referred to The Boston Globe’s recent reporting regarding allegations against former head coach Casey Brown. Brown had played and served as an assistant coach under Feldman, according to the Globe, before taking the helm in 2022.
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After “concerns were raised” in the fall of 2024 about Brown, BU hired an external investigator who found no evidence of sexual harassment and no BU policy violations, according to the university’s statement.
“Nevertheless, BU and Brown parted ways, and Brown is no longer the head coach,” the school said.
The newspaper reported that Brown left mid-season after the investigation with little to no explanation. Brown declined to be interviewed for the Globe’s story but pointed to the university’s investigation.
“The examples used against me are selective, out of context, and open to interpretation, yet they’re being presented as fact,” Brown told the Globe in a statement. “I reject that and I question why, despite a clear investigative outcome, these claims are still being amplified.
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In light of the Globe’s reporting, BU’s Equal Opportunity Office reached out to every athlete “to review resources, support, and reporting processes.”
The university, which is an NCAA Division 1 school, said in its statement that “we invite a new external review to look at our policies, processes, and other practices. This is designed to evaluate our preventions, resources for support and care, and processes for follow-up should athletes bring complaints.”
What are the allegations?
Cooper alleged that Feldman made inappropriate comments to her that were personal and sexual in nature while she was on the team. Feldman also allegedly retaliated against her by benching her.
“It was this psychotic game of, ‘Do you want to play? Tell me about your sex life,’” Cooper said in the documentary, Boston.com previously reported. “‘I have to drive you to your night class. Get in the car with me, alone.’”
During Feldman’s practice film sessions, Cooper said, “We’re going to rewind my tape every five seconds and talk about my hair and my body. Look at those legs. Everybody look at Alex in her uniform.
“We would be in preseason, my assistant coach would come over, ‘Coach needs to talk to you,’” Cooper said. “She would pull me in, just be staring at me, sit next to me on the couch, put her hand on my thigh. I felt so deeply uncomfortable. After practice, ‘All right, great work everyone. Alex, I want to see you in my office.’”
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An unnamed, key soccer player also reported to the university and told the Globe that Brown consistently favored and inappropriately focused on her. Specific allegations include Brown making “moaning sounds” during recorded narration over a video of the player competing, the Globe reported.
“I felt deeply uncomfortable and sexualized,” she said, per the Globe. The newspaper also interviewed multiple other teammates who compared the treatment to “being groomed,” one player said. A total of 18 players reported Brown to BU.
Texts reviewed by the Globe from Brown to the star player included “Love you always!” “My dawgggg … Appreciate you always,” and once, when the player pushed back, “I feel like ur annoyed w me in general [sad face emoji] … sorry if I pissed you off.”
Both Cooper and the unnamed player criticized BU’s response. The unnamed player and her teammates accused BU of enabling Brown by allowing her to depart BU with her reputation intact, according to the Globe.
Cooper told the Globe in a separate interview that after Feldman would allegedly put her hand on Cooper’s neck or thighs, BU did nothing to address her concerns.
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“The University takes harassment and sexual harassment, as well as reporting, seriously,” BU said in their statement. “We look forward to an external review’s recommendations that can provide suggestions for continued improvements as we strive for excellence in our athletic program.”
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