| MBB/WBB The Saga of Daisha Simmons

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The University of Alabama contacted the NCAA on Tuesday to support former women's basketball player Daisha Simmons' efforts to play for Seton Hall in the 2014-15 season. Simmons has alleged Title IX violations by UA, and her attorney said that he is willing to go forward with a complaint to the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights on her behalf if she wishes to do so.

Simmons played at UA for two seasons after transferring from Rutgers, and transferred to Seton Hall in the summer after graduating from Alabama with a business degree. The NCAA ruled that she would have to sit out the coming season, but granted a sixth year of eligibility to allow her to play in 2015-16. Simmons has contended that the NCAA did not grant the waiver to allow her to play in 2014-15 because UA did not support the waiver.

UA Director of Athletics Bill Battle released a statement late Tuesday afternoon announcing that UA has contacted the NCAA in support of Simmons' waiver. Previously, after reports surfaced over the weekend about Simmons plight and her displeasure with Alabama, UA President Judy Bonner had issued a statement saying the matter was closed.

"This afternoon, The University of Alabama contacted the NCAA to inform them that the University supports Daisha Simmons' request for a waiver from the NCAA allowing her to be eligible to play basketball at Seton Hall in 2014-15," Battle said in the statement. "This gives the NCAA the opportunity to revisit the situation, if they so desire, and to consider information that could be provided by Miss Simmons, including documentation that could substantiate significant medical issues in her family, that could affect her ability to be granted a waiver to be eligible for competition immediately."

Don Jackson, Simmons' Montgomery-based legal counsel, emailed Bonner last Friday alleging Title IX violations by the UA women's basketball staff. After UA's reversal of position, the decision on whether to proceed with legal action now lies with Simmons and her family.

"Candidly, I don't know at this point," Jackson said. "I'll discuss this filing with the young lady and her family. If they want to move forward, I'll move on with them."

Alabama women's basketball coach Kristy Curry strongly denied any Title IX violations in an interview with The Tuscaloosa News.

"In my 15 years as a head coach, I have never faced allegations like this and I absolutely refute them," Curry said. "My values are not represented by those allegations and I absolutely deny them."

Jackson's email to Bonner was sent on Simmons' behalf "for the purpose of formally lodging a complaint," the communication said. The email charged that the UA women's basketball coaching staff "has utilized student-athlete athletic financial aid to engage in a fairly broad and comprehensive pattern of bullying, harassment, retaliatory conduct and institutional hazing.

"Further, in light of the manner in which athletic financial aid is administered by this coaching staff, there are strong implications of conduct that violates Title IX."

The email charges that multiple players had been stripped of scholarships for reasons unrelated to academics or misconduct, and that situations like Simmons' involving transfers, releases and waiver support "have been handled ... disproportionately and adversely impact female student-athletes."

"Again, I adamantly refute those allegations," Curry said. "That would be completely against my values and I feel that, without question, an investigation would support that."

Simmons' attorney said the change of position shouldn't let the UA women's basketball staff off the hook.

"I was advised a short time ago that the University of Alabama had modified their earlier opposition to Ms. Simmons' participation in intercollegiate athletics this season at Seton Hall University," Jackson said Tuesday night in a statement. "They are not to be congratulated or offered appreciation. The conduct of this coaching staff and the Athletic Department that supported them represented the absolute worst in college athletics. They have caused pain to a young woman and family that needed their support and have betrayed the virtues of decency, sympathy and basic human kindness.

"As it relates to this coaching staff, I fail to see why anyone would allow their child or (in the case of coaches) players to play for this staff. They are mean spirited, petty, abusive and represent the absolute worse in college athletics. The past several days have exposed the underbelly of college sports; no staff could have been more representative of the worst elements in the college game."

Battle's decision to contact the NCAA on Tuesday in support of the waiver, was "an administrative decision," Curry said. "But I have been contacted by coaches who support our position. I think this is an ongoing issue across the country. Accountability is important."

Simmons, a New Jersey native, has cited health issues affecting her brother and mother among her reasons for transferring. Battle maintains that she failed to document those health issues when asked to do so before transferring.

"Much of the University's original decision not to endorse a waiver was based on the fact that Miss Simmons declined to provide any information supporting her reasoning for seeking a waiver," he said in his statement. "This was despite requests to obtain documentation verifying hardship to support a waiver request. Miss Simmons was told repeatedly of the requirements needed to obtain the waiver, as well as how such requirements were needed to justify the institution's endorsement of such a waiver. She refused to provide this, despite several opportunities and requests to do so.

"It bears noting that Miss Simmons did not meet any NCAA legislated transfer exceptions to be eligible for competition immediately since she had previously transferred from Rutgers University and The University of Alabama was renewing her athletics financial aid for the 2014-15 academic year, thus requiring her to seek a waiver of the eligibility regulations. The University's decision not to support the waiver was a small part of the facts the NCAA reviewed but, ultimately, the NCAA looks at the entire narrative supplied by the student and the applicant institution in determining whether or not to grant a waiver. Inaccurate reports in the media have cited the University's decision not to support a waiver as the lone determinant in Miss Simmons' ability to gain a waiver allowing her to play this season. The NCAA's ruling in this case gave Miss Simmons the opportunity to take care of any family concerns, focus on academics, and play next season. The University's ability to assist Miss Simmons in this case was greatly hindered by inconsistencies regarding her reasons for wanting to leave the University.

"As she had desired, Miss Simmons has enrolled in a Master's of Business Administration program specializing in sport management at Seton Hall. Her enrollment at Seton Hall, on scholarship, fulfilled her desire to attend college and play basketball near her home.

"There are many levels of due process involved in proceedings of this nature. The University of Alabama did not prevent Miss Simmons from transferring. Per her request, The University of Alabama granted schools near her home in New Jersey permission to contact Miss Simmons about the possibility of attending. Reports stating that Alabama would not release her are inaccurate."

Battle also addressed his position on Curry and the UA women's basketball program: "The University of Alabama emphatically supports head coach Kristy Curry and her staff. Throughout this process they have maintained a high level of integrity and ethical behavior," he said in the statement.

Jackson, Simmons' attorney, said being able to play in the coming season rather than sitting out a year is "the crux of the matter" over her displeasure with UA over the transfer, and that UA's failure to support an NCAA waiver from the start was at issue.

"In this particular situation, because of the university's hostile approach to dealing with her and the refusal to support the graduate waiver, the NCAA actually granted her a sixth year of eligibility - which, frankly, speaking even in injury scenarios, is highly unusual," he said. "That is the crux, at least of the dispute of the graduate transfer waiver.

"That's not the crux of the dispute as it relates to the Title IX issue that has progressed over the last four days, really."

Jackson cited social media posts by former UA women's basketball player Brittany Jack and information he said he has received in recent days from players on Curry-coached teams at Texas Tech and Purdue and their family members as being supportive of allegations of "a pattern of conduct that is, frankly, abusive to female student-athletes."

Simmons averaged 13.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season for UA. Curry expected her to return for her senior season.
 
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"She did not indicate that she wanted a transfer," Curry said. "She even attended the first couple of days of offseason workouts. Obviously, with the minutes she played and the impact she had on our team we expected her back and wanted her to come back. There were not extraordinary disciplinary issues with her."

The coach said Simmons had an issue with a team rule that current players cannot live with former players. Her desire to transfer, the coach said, came after that issue arose.

"Not one time during the season did she indicate that she wanted to transfer," Curry said. "Then she became upset with the housing policy. I think there was a culture in place at this program (before Curry arrived in May, 2013) where the discipline was different. It was an adjustment period for our team. But I was clear that we would not change our policy."

Simmons' desire to transfer because she was not accepted into UA's master of business administration degree program or because of family medical issues, Curry said, were never mentioned until after the player expressed problems with the housing issue.

"The first time I heard about her wanting an MBA was on May 23, on a Friday night," Curry said. "Not one time was I ever told about any family medical problem. There was never one time that she told me or anyone on my staff that there was a medical issue. After I turned the issue over to the administration, my understanding was that she told the university about a medical issue. The university asked for documentation on what she was saying, but to my knowledge that was never provided."

By early June, Curry said, the transfer became an administrative issue for the athletic department.

"Later we received a letter (about) a waiver request, but that went directly to Jonathan Bowling (UA associate athletics director for compliance)," Curry said. "The next we heard about it was that her high school coach had threatened through the summer that this would not be a good thing for our program. We also had a direct message from his Twitter account to that effect that we have a copy of.

"We made the decision to release her, and that is where we (on the women's basketball coaching staff) became uninvolved. ... I released her. From that point, I wasn't involved and began focusing on the kids that want to be here.

"I appreciate the role that Daisha played. I wish her the best."

Jackson said he wants an independent investigation of the Title IX charges.

"They've already been notified," he said. "At this point, they have an obligation to investigate, an obligation under federal law under Title IX. If they opt not to do that, that's their prerogative, but if they opt not to do that, that would probably be unwise."

- See more at: https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1690172#sthash.6Tb2uLAd.dpuf
 
Seems that social media pressure was the last straw. Even more interesting that Daisha has played at 3 different Big 5 schools...but nobody is discussing this.

This wasn't handled very well, regardless of the facts.
 
Daisha Simmons' former roommate Brittany Jack shares her own harrowing experience at Alabama

In light of the increased scrutiny of Alabama's women's basketball program, ex-Alabama women’s basketball player Brittany Jack shared her own experience with Kristy Curry and the Crimson Tide program with Swish Appeal.

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I talked to one of my teammates yesterday who told me that Alabama wasn't allowing Daisha to play this year.

From my personal experience, I've been wanting to say something, but I needed an opportunity. I didn't want to come out and lay all of Alabama's stuff out, and they say, "Well she's just mad because she got released." I've graduated and I'm not enrolled at Alabama so I don't have ties to anything. It's been hell every single year at Alabama, and it has to stop.

When I first started playing basketball at the age of five, I told my parents that when I grew up, I was going to play for the University of Alabama. My mother graduated from The University of Alabama. The Crimson Tide runs through my veins. When I began my recruiting process in the eighth grade, my first letter was from the University of Alabama.

I think what the majority of people do not know is that I was never recruited by The University of Alabama officially. I committed to play at Samford University in 2010. After having the winningest record in program history and winning the first conference championship, I left.

I left a full scholarship at a DI university. I had no offers, nothing set up, and nowhere to go. I enrolled at Alabama as a regular student because that is how much I wanted to be there. I tried out and made the team. I busted my butt for an entire year and was awarded a scholarship for the next year.

When I first met Coach (Kristy) Curry at a team meeting in late May before summer session one started, she just seemed to be this great person who was genuinely concerned about us as a team and the women's basketball program at Alabama. I can remember her telling us, "We are going to have the best shoe strings in the country because ya'll deserve that".

I can remember having such a feeling of relief and finally feeling what other players felt at other schools. It finally seemed liked we belonged in women's basketball because we finally had a real coach. Unfortunately, this would soon change.

After summer, the pre-season workouts began, and I personally feel like those workouts were designed to run players off.

It was just relentless -- they were just not backing down in how difficult things were regarding conditioning drills for freshman Brooksie McGraw. But with the freshman from Canada, Oceana Hamilton, they weren't treating her like that at all -- that was their player (that) they recruited, though. Brooksie was Coach Hudson's recruit, the treatment was just...wrong.

The next day, coach (Kristy) Curry gathered us in a circle and said, "Brooksie is not part of our program anymore. She's going to be at a place that fits her better. We're going to do everything we can to make sure she gets to where it's the best fit for her."

They didn't do a thing to help her.

We were confronted as a team and told by a member of the coaching staff that "it is my job to over-recruit you". Anytime we were having a bad practice or bad game we had "horrible character and were horrible people". Recruiting was always thrown in our faces.

I remember during the season, after we lost a couple of games, at Florida and Arkansas, she says to us, "You all are horrible people, you all are horrible children, you all are horrible kids -- you have no character." And I'm like wait, ‘Just last week when we won, we were the end all be all. But since we lost, this is what it is?'

Nonetheless, despite having the best conference record the women's basketball program at Alabama had had in the past 12 years -- after being voted to finish last in the SEC -- and finishing tenth out of 14 teams, we did not make any postseason tournament.

Our pre-conference play was where we created the deficit -- if only we had just won three or four more games we would have qualified to play in the post-season. After finding out we did not make the WNIT tournament the night before, I went to bed relieved that the season was finally over, but nothing would prepare me for what would happen the next morning.

On March 18, 2014, I was sitting in class going about my regular day when I received a text message from Grant Fausett, our Director of Operations at approximately 8:08 am, saying that Coach Curry wanted to meet with me around 11:30am.

My stomach dropped immediately and my mind raced over all the reasons why she could possibly want to meet with me -- I hadn't done anything wrong. Maybe we were just having our end of year meetings early.

I was so uncomfortable and nervous because coach Curry had not requested to meet with me individually all year -- other than a meeting after the summer sessions ended to tell me what a great job I had done all summer. And if something was so urgent that I had to be contacted first thing that morning, why did she not text me or call me herself?

I can remember walking across campus to the gym with the feeling like my heart was beating through my chest and out of my throat. I walked in the locker room and went to sit directly on my stool in front of my locker and began praying. My point guard, Daisha, walked in and says to me, "Oh you have a meeting too?" I am thinking to myself, 'How does she know?'

Seconds after this thought crossed my mind, Kara Rawls, one of our freshman forwards who had been out all season with an Achilles injury, comes pacing in the locker room with tears streaming down her face.

And in that moment I remember feeling like I was going to pass out. I called my mother immediately. I was panicking, asking her, "What if this is it mom, what if they are kicking me off?"

I walked into Coach Curry's office, seeing every single one of my coaches sitting at this round table, with one chair open waiting for me. And it was in that moment I knew my worst nightmare was about to come true.

I sat down at the table, my heart in my stomach, the conversation began from Coach Curry: "Hey BJ, now I knew taking this job at the beginning of the year, I was going to have to make some tough decisions at the end of the season..."

Swish Appeal has obtained a letter of recommendation dated April 15 in which Kristy Curry praised Brittany Jack as a "winner!" who "...is committed to impacting people, programs, and situations in the most positive way possible." Almost exactly a month prior, Curry told Jack she was releasing her from her scholarship.
Curry on Jack's character


Then, everyone took their turn and proceeded to tell me how instrumental I was in helping them get off to a great start in the program from a recruiting standpoint. I was told that they "had never seen anything like it". I was told that I carried myself in a great manner, that I've done everything that was asked of me and go even further than what was asked of me on a regular basis.

They used me to host and recruit six players that are signed and active members on the team now. I have played under four different coaching staffs in four years, only transferring one time from Samford University to The University of Alabama.

The one question that throbs in my head every single day is: "Is this how someone who has done all of the right things is treated?" Exhibiting such qualities as integrity, hard work, commitment, and sheer passion no longer matter?

If not, then the game we all love is being tainted by the very industry it's centered around. Is this not the kind of senior leadership and experience that is valuable to a team? Is this the kind of message that we want to send to young women? That being a woman of integrity, selflessness, enthusiasm, and passion is not worth anything? This was the message that was sent to me that day. To this day I cannot pinpoint a specific reason why I was "released" from my scholarship.

As far as I was told it was because I'm graduating and have the life skills and am just "ready for the real world", but what was more real than this? I never had one disciplinary issue. My grades were fine. So what is the reason? WHY did this happen to me?

If all of the things I went through can help at least one person, one little girl with a dream, one player who is currently going through this now, then everything I have gone through for the past four years will be completely worth it. Every last sprint, every last all-nighter, every last long road trip, every last loss and every last tear.

*Six players have been released since Kristy Curry's arrival in 2013: Brooksie McGraw, Jasmine Steele, Emily Davis, Kara Rawls, Courtney Hunter and Brittany Jack.
 
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