Nebraska’s response to player-assistant coach’s sexual relationship was inadequate, lawsuit says
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A former Nebraska women’s basketball player alleges coach Amy Williams and athletic director Trev Alberts did not take appropriate action when her sexual relationship with an assistant coach became widely known.
Ashley Scoggin filed a civil lawsuit in U.S. District Court describing how Chuck Love allegedly took a special interest in her and how the relationship turned sexual and caused Scoggin to fear retaliation if she refused to engage in it.
The lawsuit was filed Sunday and names the university’s Board of Regents and Love as defendants, in addition to Williams and Alberts. Scoggin seeks a jury trial in Lincoln and unspecified damages for the alleged violation of her civil rights.
“It’s a very troubling and serious subject of predatory coaches that pursue sexual relationships with student-athletes,” Scoggin attorney Maren Chaloupka said Monday. “There’s an enormous imbalance of power between the professional coach and student-athletes. This is something that was well known in 2022.
“Certainly Division I universities that operate at the top level are well aware of the harm that comes from this kind of a predatory situation, and there’s a strong onus on the university and on the coaches to prevent this from happening and, heaven forbid it does happen, to address is correctly.”
University spokesperson Melissa Lee said the school was made aware of the lawsuit Monday.
“While the University does not comment on the specifics of pending litigation, it does not agree with the allegations contained in the complaint and intends to vigorously defend this matter,” Lee said in a statement.
Williams declined to comment. Alberts and Love did not respond to text and emails from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Scoggin played two seasons for the Cornhuskers. She was dismissed from the team on the same day Love was suspended with pay in February 2022. Love resigned three months later. Scoggin now plays at UNLV.
Williams and Alberts are accused of not setting rules, training or policies prohibiting staff members from having sexual relationships with athletes, with the lawsuit alleging that the lack of safeguards “was so reckless that misconduct involving sexual misconduct by coaches was inevitable as of September 2021.”
According to the lawsuit:
Scoggin had an internship in the athletic department in the summer of 2021 and she expressed interest in becoming a coach someday. Love invited Scoggin to work at a small table in his office, and she accepted.
Love, who was married, asked Scoggin personal questions, including the type of alcohol she preferred, and Love began asking her to go out for drinks with him. Scoggin declined several invitations but eventually accepted one. A few days later, they met late at night in a Costco parking lot, where Love kissed her and asked, “Have you ever done anything with a coach before?”
The interaction left Scoggin feeling “confused and trapped” because “it was now undeniable that Love wanted a sexual relationship.” Once the relationship turned sexual, Love expected Scoggin to be “available and willing” whenever he wanted to have sex and included summoning her to his hotel room when the team traveled for away games.