AMES, IOWA – A lawsuit was filed today in Polk County District Court by Nichole Moody, a former member of the Iowa State University women’s basketball team and 2015 Iowa State graduate, against the State of Iowa, Iowa State University and women’s head basketball coach William Fennelly. The suit alleges race discrimination and retaliation.
Moody alleges she was called a “thug” by her coach “many times” after she was involved in some way in an altercation at or near a bar. According to the lawsuit, Moody claims that she was manipulated into not taking a veterinary major; that coach Fennelly and his staff discouraged black athletes from spending time together; and other mistreatment including stuffing all her belongings into trash bags when she graduated and throwing her name tag from her locker on the floor.
Iowa State University states the following facts:
· The university takes very seriously complaints of discrimination and harassment.
· Approximately one year ago, Moody made complaints to the Iowa State Athletics Department.
· The Athletics Department promptly referred Moody to the university’s Office of Equal Opportunity (EO), which thoroughly reviewed her complaints in the context of university discrimination policies.
· EO conducted a full investigation and was unable to substantiate the complaints of racial discrimination.
· Bill Fennelly has coached women’s basketball at Iowa State since 1995, and is known for his passionate and demanding style of coaching toward all players.
· Iowa State takes issue with the allegations and looks forward to responding in full to the lawsuit as the legal process proceeds.
Anonymous, your racism is coming through loud and clear and it’s disgusting. Before we criticize Nikki too much, read the article in the Register today. Fennely has a bad reputation for losing his temper and berating his players publicly, that shouldn’t happen. At first I thought Nikki was just being a troublemaker but maybe that’s not the case at all.
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Just another black with a attitude. She had a free ride to college and wants more, more, more.
I know someone close to the program and I believe the coach probably did some of those things but do not think they were racially motivated, I am told he would do the same thing to any one of his players no matter if they were black, white, brown or green. I am not saying he did nothing wrong or what he did was right. I just do not think they were not racial.
I hope she wins. I believe her!