University of Utah athletics officials released a statement Tuesday addressing the recent incidents involving racially charged epithets being directed toward members of the women’s basketball team and other school personnel and students.
Less than 24 hours after Utah women’s basketball coach Lynne Roberts discussed the incidents during a postgame press conference following the Utes’ loss to Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament Monday night, Roberts, along with athletic director Mark Harlan and deputy athletic director Charmelle Green, released further details about the ongoing situation in the joint statement.
The team was in Spokane, Washington, last week to participate in the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament on the Gonzaga University campus. As Roberts told reporters, the team’s hotel accommodations were originally in Coeur d’Alene, an Idaho town about a 35-minute drive from Spokane.
The incidents occurred not long after the team arrived in town.
“There were two separate disturbing encounters. First, as the travelling party was walking to a restaurant for dinner in the vicinity of their hotel, a vehicle drove by and occupants shouted racial epithets at the group,” Tuesday’s statement read in part, confirming earlier reports.
“Second, on the walk back to the hotel, a vehicle slowly passed the group, revving its engine with its occupants again shouting racially disparaging words and threats.”
The University of Utah said a police report was filed last Thursday evening with the Coeur d’Alene police department following the incidents, and that the school “will continue to work with the authorities in their investigation.”
After filing the report, Utah then worked with Gonzaga and the NCAA to move the school’s traveling party to alternate accommodations in Spokane, the joint statement confirmed.
“As can be imagined, many students, staff and other members of the traveling party were deeply disturbed and fearful after the incidents, in what should be a safe and enjoyable experience,” the statement read.
Last weekend, Spokane played host to the opening two rounds of both the women’s and men’s NCAA Tournaments, with eight men’s teams and three women’s programs, in addition to host Gonzaga, being in the area.
A source told the Deseret News that because Spokane was a pre-determined site for the men’s tournament, hotels had to be booked for that tournament well in advance.
On the women’s side, Gonzaga was announced as a host during the NCAA Tournament selection show on Dec. 17.
Two women’s teams — Utah and UC Irvine — initially stayed in Idaho, and while UC Irvine’s team did not encounter similar racial incidents, that traveling party also requested to be moved “for the well-being and safety of our student-athletes and the entire travel party,” a school spokesman told The Spokesman-Review.
The University of Utah questioned the decision to make its traveling party stay in another state.
“As we continue to heal, we remain very disappointed in the decision to assign our team to hotels such a great distance from the competition site, in another state. We will work with NCAA leadership to make it clear that being so far removed from the site was unacceptable and a contributing factor to the impact of this incident,” the statement from the school read.
The NCAA, in its own statement, condemned the actions that students and staff were subjected to in Coeur d’Alene.
“The NCAA was made aware of the incident that occurred last week and immediately worked with Gonzaga and Utah to provide increased security for the team until new accommodations could be arranged within the same day in Spokane,” the statement read.
“The NCAA condemns racism and hatred in any form and is committed to providing a world-class athletics and academic experience for student-athletes that fosters lifelong well-being. NCAA championship events represent the pinnacle of a student-athlete’s collegiate career. We are devastated about the Utah team’s experience while traveling to compete on what should have been a weekend competing on the brightest stage and creating some of the fondest memories of their lives.”
The statement from the University of Utah reads in full:
“The University of Utah and members of our women’s basketball team, band and spirit teams, staff, administrators and supporters, continue to be deeply troubled and shaken by the hateful and disturbing actions and vitriol directed toward them in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, last Thursday evening. The incidents occurred shortly after the traveling party arrived in the area to participate in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament’s First and Second Rounds hosted by Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.
There were two separate disturbing encounters. First, as the travelling party was walking to a restaurant for dinner in the vicinity of their hotel, a vehicle drove by and occupants shouted racial epithets at the group. Second, on the walk back to the hotel, a vehicle slowly passed the group, revving its engine with its occupants again shouting racially disparaging words and threats. A police report was filed later Thursday evening with the City of Coeur d’Alene Police Department, and we will continue to work with the authorities in their investigation.
As can be imagined, many students, staff and other members of the traveling party were deeply disturbed and fearful after the incidents, in what should be a safe and enjoyable experience. Out of concern for their well-being and safety, we worked with Gonzaga and the NCAA to move to alternate accommodations in Spokane.
Now, several days later, we are continuing to provide support and resources to all of those impacted by the events in Idaho last Thursday.
As we continue to heal, we remain very disappointed in the decision to assign our team to hotels such a great distance from the competition site, in another state. We will work with NCAA leadership to make it clear that being so far removed from the site was unacceptable and a contributing factor to the impact of this incident.
We do want to express our gratitude for the care and concern demonstrated to us by Gonzaga University, and for the comments today from Coeur d’Alene Mayor Jim Hammond and other local officials. We take their regret sincerely and appreciate both their strong condemnation and denouncement of the abhorrent conduct as well as their commitment to bringing those responsible to justice.
Our focus will remain on the well-being of our students and staff.”