Miami ( OH) women’s basketball coach DeUnna Hendrix resigned last week after an investigation into alleged misconduct, according to a university spokesperson.
In an interview with the Miami Student, Coach Hendrix said cited “competive reasons” , whatever that means, saying the following:
“It’s pretty matter of fact, just looking at the state of the program, with some valuable pieces jumping in the portal and obviously, we’ve been building for four years. So going into a contract year, it was really important that all the pieces stay in place. And so when it didn’t look that way, you know, I just felt like I needed to slide over and let somebody else take the reins. So that’s where we’re at with it.”
However last Friday, The Athletic reported she resigned after an investigation uncovered “intimate” text messages between Hendrix and a player on the team. The messages provided to The Athletic,include a string of more than 180 text messages over an 11-day time span. In the messages, the former coach said ‘I love you’ , ‘You’re my baby’ and ‘I. Can’t.Wait.To.Squeeze.You.’ More than 30 of the texts were intimate in nature.
In another exchange with the player, Hendrix referenced a married couple for many years saying, “Doing this with you openly would be more than ideal. A subsequent text to the player on April 9 Hendrix messaged, “TODAY IS THE DAYYYYYY that my girl returns to me” and that “the airport will be clear of Miami WBB employees.”
In a statement to the Miami Student , Miami University Associate Director of Media Relations Alecia Lipton said the school’s priority was the health and safety of its student athletes:
“When Miami University learned of information suggesting that DeUnna Hendrix, former women’s head basketball coach, was in violation of university policy, it took swift action by placing her on interim suspension as it conducted an investigation,” Lipton wrote. “There were no allegations of criminal activity nor was there an indication of a Title IX Sexual Misconduct violation, however this investigation led to her resignation. Had she not resigned, the university would have pursued the termination process.”
The Athletic obtained Hendrix’s resignation letter and her resignation was cotingent upon the university responding to all third-party inquiries about her employment ‘by providing only my dates of employment and position held.’” Further, it states that Sayler “agrees he will not disparage me or make any statements to others that may be considered to be derogatory or detrimental to my good name or reputation.”
