University of Idaho places embattled volleyball coach on leave

The University of Idaho has placed its embattled women’s volleyball coach on leave following a series of complaints by current and former players who accused the coach of verbal and physical abuse.

University spokeswoman Jodi Walker confirmed that coach Chris Gonzalez had been placed on leave with pay and that the investigation into his conduct is ongoing into “not just legal concerns, but also climate and culture complaints.”

“We expect this investigation to be finalized in coming weeks and President (C. Scott) Green will determine what steps will be taken to resolve this issue,” Walker wrote in an email.

Idaho Athletic Director Terry Gawlik called a meeting Wednesday and informed the team that Gonzalez had been placed on administrative leave, according to Emma Patterson, a senior on the team.

In addition, university officials informed the volleyball team this week that the Office of Civil Rights Investigation has completed or is nearing completion of its investigation into a number of complaints leveled against Gonzalez, whose Vandals finished 1-27 in 2023.

Patterson said officials called the players to a meeting at noon.

Attending was an attorney from Thompson & Horton, a Houston-based law firm hired to conduct an inquiry into the program’s climate and culture; support staff and Jackie Wernz, the interim director of the OCRI and either a current or recent former member of the Thompson & Horton law firm.

Gawlik said “no sports team should ever have to experience this,” Patterson said of the athletic director’s comments.

Patterson, who transferred to Moscow to attend the same school as her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, said school officials explained the OCRI probe was not as expansive as the one being conducted by Thompson & Horton, which is the same law firm that defended Baylor University in a case settled in 2023 brought by 15 survivors of sexual assault who alleged that Baylor “permitted a campus rife with sexual assault” for years.

That case led to the firing of football coach Art Briles, two other football coaches and the resignation of Baylor President Kenneth Starr, who earlier served as the independent counsel who investigated allegations against President Bill Clinton involving Monica Lewinsky.

“I hope that the school’s report backs all of the allegations and documentation we made,” Patterson said. “Even though they didn’t take action when we came forward, hopefully the official legal investigation will prompt them to do so.”

Gonzalez’s troubled history with players was first reported by the Orange County Register. Players have alleged that Gonzalez created an environment in which he targets specific players for almost daily bullying and even physical abuse, including overtraining, ignoring injuries, ignoring the instructions of doctors and withholding food.

University documents show that players, their parents and at least three university employees have raised concerns about Gonzalez to Gawlik.

“The University of Idaho is deeply concerned about the allegations brought by some members of the women’s volleyball team against their coach, Chris Gonzalez,” according to a news release issued in January from the school. “As a result, an investigation started in November around legal issues and has been expanded to include climate and culture concerns. The start of the investigation was delayed at the request of those who filed the complaints, in order to finish the season.

“An outside investigative team is doing the investigation, in which Coach Gonzalez is fully cooperating. While they have been asked to expedite the investigation, we also do not want to forego quality for speed.”

In a previous interview, Patterson said she joined two other team captains when they met Gawlik to relay their concerns about Gonzalez. At the end of the meeting, Gawlik, according to Patterson, responded with a question: “Is that it?”

“I was shocked,” Patterson said in January. “Our team captains are sophomores. They didn’t know what to say. Nobody expected the dismissive, not-wanting-to-act response from the person in place to ensure our safety. That’s when I spoke up.”

For the past several weeks, Gonzalez has been presiding over preseason workouts. Only a handful of players have been attending, said Patterson, who has not been one of them.

In the meantime, one of only 12 remaining players from the 2023 squad has entered the transfer portal. Gonzalez has been working to recruit more players, Patterson said.

Included in the material sent to Gawlik was a letter dated Nov. 30, 2022, from former volleyball player Chelsey R. Mason, who played under Gonzalez at the University of Iowa in the early 2000s. In the letter, Mason implored the university to listen to allegations from the players.

Mason suffered a broken rib in 2004 during intense practices under Gonzalez that she described in the letter as “dangerous.”

“Complaints levied against Christopher Gonzalez should not be dismissed as pouting or tempestuous outbursts thrown by teenagers and young adults, or overbearing, dissatisfied parents,” Mason wrote. “These are evidence of unprofessional, abusive, manipulative practice that have spanned Gonzalez’s career. These are cries for help.”