Seven former players on the University of Illinois’s women’s basketball team have filed a lawsuit against their old school after their allegations that the coaches frequently exhibited racist behaviors. And the former athletes have opened up to CNN about the mistreatment they all endured while on the school’s teams.
Eight former members of the team all described assistant coach Mike Divilbiss as verbally abusive. He attacked them for a number of reasons, including their race, their families, or where they grew up.
Former player Amarah Coleman explained how Divilbiss used practices to diminish players’ morale: “In practice when a black player would do a certain move, [Divilbiss] would make a comment stating ‘that’s the West Side coming out’ [referring to Chicago’s predominantly black West Side].” It was clear, she said, “coach was saying it to make fun of where they are from.”
