Terry Allen says he has learned his lesson.
The Kansas University football coach responded Thursday to a report by Barbara Ballard, associate vice chancellor for student affairs, criticizing how Allen and athletics department officials handled a soccer player’s claim that she had been sexually assaulted by two football players.
The report also made 12 recommendations to prevent similar occurrences, which Allen said he has taken to heart.
“I’ve apologized for the initial way I handled this situation,” he said. “Now we have a plan in place if something like this happens again.”
The soccer player said Thursday that she was vindicated by the report issued Wednesday.
“The report is pretty accurate,” she said. “It shows how poorly the athletics department handled the case.”
The woman initially reported the assault, which allegedly occurred in February, to Allen. She went to police two months later after she found the players had been punished only with extra sprints at practice.
“Although I’m still disappointed with the athletics department, the report proves that I am right to feel this way,” the soccer player said. “The case was mishandled.”
She said the department would have no excuses if similar offenses happen in the future.
“The things that happened to me can never be undone, but in the end I hope that we can get something good out of this,” she said. “I truly hope they learned something from this experience.”
Allen said Ballard’s recommendations were already being put in place. Athletes in all sports have received an extra dose this year of counseling and education from experts on violence against women.
One of the players accused by the soccer player left school for academic reasons during the summer. The other remains on the team.
Allen said the remaining player faced what he would only call “internal actions” during the summer; further discipline will have to wait until police complete their criminal investigation of the allegation.
The football coach said the university had not taken formal disciplinary action against the player.
“From the university, the discipline has been learning from the mistakes,” Allen said. “This has been eight months of very trying personal times for me.”
