Six former Pitt women's basketball players came forward last week, filing a lawsuit against the University of Pittsburgh and the team's current head coach Tory Verdi on Friday.
The suit claims Verdi — who led Pitt to a 29-60 record since taking over the Panthers' sideline in April 2023 — employed abusive coaching practices, including making harassing remarks and threatening student-athlete careers on and off the court.
Additionally, the filing alleges that Verdi pressured players he no longer wanted on the team to enter the transfer portal, endangered their scholarships.
Players describe incidents including a practice session where Verdi reportedly split athletes based on their race, as well as alleged comments the coach made to the team including telling them, "Every night I lay in bed I want to kill myself because of you."
Some of the athletes reportedly contacted Pitt athletic department supervisors, with Friday's lawsuit claiming that the school ignored their complaints.
"These players aren’t soft," lawyer Keenan D. Holmes told the Associated Press this week. "But this went beyond basketball. It went beyond the bounds of common decency."
Arguing that Pitt violated their Title IX-protected civil rights, the players are seeking acknowledgment, academic record restoration, compensation, and punitive damages.
"The university is aware of these lawsuits and their allegations, which are without merit and will be vigorously defended," Pitt responded in a statement.
