Harvard women’s hockey faces external investigation over allegations against coach | News

Harvard Athletic Director Erin McDermott announced in a March 14 email that Harvard Athletics will conduct an independent outside review of the women’s hockey program following allegations of misconduct against the program and head coach Katey Stone.

Harvard has retained New York law firm Jenner and Block to investigate allegations against the hockey program. Katya Jestin, the company’s co-CEO, is leading the research. Jestin is a former assistant US attorney and an expert in institutional culture studies.

In 27 seasons coaching Harvard women’s hockey, Stone has accumulated more wins than any other female coach in the history of women’s college hockey. But this year, Stone has faced accusations of abusive behavior since the first reports came out Boston Globe in January.

In an The Athletic’s investigation released on March 10, Stone is accused of shutting down the Hunger Games, using abusive language against players and running the team like a mental Hunger Games.

In interviewing 30 former players and teammates, the Athletic reported that players were fined a system based on what they dressed or ate, including a gay tax or an Asian tax, and freshmen were told to perform a nude skate that left them on the ice. burns and bleeding nipples. The Athletic reported that the players also blacked out during the annual Commencement Week, attended by alumni in some years.

The Athletic did not report that Stone was directly involved in the penalty system, Initiation Week, or Naked Skate, but Stone allegedly downplayed injuries, made inappropriate comments and contributed to a negative team culture during his tenure.

In the Athletics report, generations of Stones players characterized the program as pushing the boundaries of acceptable treatment for athletes.

Stone did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Harvard spokeswoman Rachael Dane declined to comment on the investigation or the allegations against Stone.

In an interview with The Crimson last month, McDermott declined to comment on the allegations against Stone.

But after the Athletic’s investigative publication, on March 14, McDermott sent an email to all Harvard student-athletes regarding troubling reports we’ve received through the media and others about our women’s hockey program.

My most important job as athletics director is to protect the health and safety of our students and athletes, McDermott wrote. In terms of our culture and community, it is also of prime importance that everyone is treated with dignity and respected as individuals. The alleged conduct does not represent us as the Harvard Athletics community. There is no place for behavior that causes peer pressure, humiliation, or physical or emotional harm.

This is a good time for reflection and I encourage all of us athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, administrators, alumni/ae to commit to our values ​​and live by our actions and words, McDermott added.

The Globe published on January 27 iThe investigation, which details allegations against Stone from 16 former players, described a disregard for athletes’ physical and mental well-being, body shaming, hazing and insensitive remarks.

The Globe report prominently featured an incident in which Stone said the team had too many Chiefs and not enough Indians after losing to Princeton in the Eastern College Athletic Conference playoffs last February.

The remark led to a review of the program, which McDermott announced in an April 8, 2022, email. But in July, McDermott wrote that Stone would continue to coach the team.

According to the Athletic, McDermott spoke before the Globe investigation at the HH Dinner, an alumni weekend event attended by about 50 people this year, including many former and current Stones players and Harvard athletic department staff.

There, McDermott praised the Stones’ work and legacy in his speech, and Anne Holland Holly Johnson 96, a former captain and member of the Stones’ first team, told attendees the program’s reputation is sacrosanct, according to the Athletic.

The Athletic told some players and alumni that the event felt like an attempt to drum up support for Stone and the rally people to counter future criticism.

Stone spoke separately to a group of former players in the team’s locker room during a gathering, the Athletic reported.

“They’re trying to set this program on fire,” Stone said, according to the Athletic. And wasn’t going to let that happen.

Staff writer Paton D. Roberts can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @paton_dr.

Staff writer Sophia C. Scott can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @ScottSophia_.