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.
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.