Syracuse coach Quentin Hillsman resigns amid investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior

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Syracuse women’s basketball coach Quentin Hillsman resigned Monday amid an investigation into her coaching practices and allegations of improper conduct.

Syracuse athletic director John Wildhack said in a statement that Hillsman and the university have agreed to go their separate ways in the best interests of the university, the program and our student-athletes. The statement also said the investigation is continuing and the team’s interim leadership will be announced in the coming days.

Former players and staff shared in June that Hillsman exhibited inappropriate behavior, including verbal threats and bullying against players and unwanted physical contact.

Syracuse Orange head coach Quentin Hillsman, pictured here in 2016, resigned on Monday amid allegations of improper conduct.

While there were concerns about the state of Syracuse’s women’s basketball program when nearly 80% of the 2020-21 roster entered the transfer portal, the university did not announce any investigation until. ‘what The Athletic wrote about the allegations against Hillsman.

When the college transfer portal opened in late March, Syracuse women’s basketball saw 11 players enter, choosing to look to other schools instead of continuing to play for Hillsman. Among those players were Kiara Lewis, Emily Engstler and Kamilla Cardoso.

Lewis was previously transferred from Ohio State and led the Orange in the scoring charts last season. She was voted Syracuse’s best backyard player when Tiana Mangakahia was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019.

Engstler and Cardoso both have had breakout seasons. Engstler was preparing to become a leader of the team, as she would have been the only senior among the freshmen and sophomores. Cardoso was named ACC Rookie of the Year and the highest rated rookie in program history.

None of these players have publicly mentioned the reasons for their departure. Mangakahia took to his coach’s defense on Twitter, saying former teammates accused others of things to make them look bad.

This isn’t the first time Hillsman has been accused of inappropriate behavior by a former Syracuse player. In 2011, Lynnae Lampkins accused him of touching her inappropriately and texting her, and her father filed a Title IX lawsuit against the university for failing to act when Lampkins took action. reported the incident in 2010. In this case, an independent lawyer investigated his charges and found no evidence of harassment.

Contact Alyssa Hertel at [email protected] or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Syracuse’s Quentin Hillsman Resigns Amid Investigation

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