Following Friday’s announcement that NKU and former women’s basketball Head Coach Camryn Whitaker-Volz are going separate ways, records show she was investigated for allegations that include making racist and homophobic comments, mistreating players over mental health issues, creating a culture of fear and intimidation and inappropriate use of alcohol during team activities, according to a memorandum that outlined the investigation. 

The memo, which was written by Chief Human Resources Officer Lori Southwood, can be read in full below. The Northerner received the records through an open records request. It details specific instances of alleged comments and behaviors, as well as Volz’s responses and explanations of them. It says that “a majority of those interviewed – players and staff – reported or agreed that Volz’s conduct has created an environment of fear and intimidation within the team.” The memo went on to say that not everyone on the team felt that way, however.

The investigation was handled by Southwood and Keisha McCraney, an investigator in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The university began looking into Volz’s behavior after receiving anonymous reports that expressed concern about Volz’s conduct relating to racial remarks, homophobia, emotional manipulation and degradation of mental health on March 5 and March 12, the memo says.

On March 13, several university officials met with six players of the 2023-2024 team to discuss those allegations. Following that meeting, Southwood and McCraney conducted separate interviews of the remaining seven players on this year’s team, as well as three assistant coaches, the director of women’s basketball operations, the director of sports performance and a team manager. Those interviews took place from March 15-22.

On March 14, Volz was informed that she was being placed on a paid administrative leave. 

On March 29, Southwood and Vice President for Legal Affairs & General Counsel Grant Garber met with Volz and her attorney to discuss the allegations. Volz denied the allegations and defended her coaching style. 

Other allegations summarized in the memo include comments about players’ hair, comments about the sexuality of a ref and screaming at players during practice in a manner described as “terrifying” and “beyond what they would typically expect even from a head coach in a competitive environment.”

The memo concluded Volz did not violate the university’s Harassment Avoidance Policy and Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination Policy. It stated that the alleged comments claimed to be discriminatory based on sexuality were either misconstrued or unsubstantiated and that “comments regarding hair styles and similar matters do not indicate intentional race-based harassment or discrimination or rise to the level of a policy violation.” 

The most recent investigation into Volz’s conduct as head coach was not her first. She was investigated in 2019 after players complained that they were emotionally abused and bullied by Volz. That investigation determined that the claims were unfounded and did not result in any discipline against Volz.