Shaw College introduced the sudden resignation of longtime girls’s basketball head coach Jacques Curtis, ending a 25-year tenure that included a 2012 NCAA Division II Nationwide Championship, 11 NCAA match appearances, 9 CIAA titles, and over 400 profession wins. The announcement was made in an official press launch simply days earlier than the beginning of the season, leaving followers and gamers stunned on the timing of his departure.
Allegations of Psychological Abuse Floor On-line
Curtis’s resignation follows abuse allegations introduced ahead by senior guard Kiara Shephard, who posted a TikTok video alleging that she and others had skilled “psychological abuse” throughout their time beneath Curtis. Shephard claimed that formal complaints have been dismissed or ignored, sparking a wave of debate on social media. The submit went viral inside HBCU sports activities circles and led to further tales from former gamers.
Former Gamers Communicate Out
One former participant, Alliyah Chaplin, who performed throughout the 2023–24 season, publicly shared that she too had skilled inappropriate therapy beneath Curtis’s management. Chaplin’s statements added weight to related complaints reportedly spanning greater than a decade. The rising accounts intensified stress on Shaw’s athletic division to reply to claims concerning the staff’s inside tradition.
College Responds and Appoints Interim Coach
In its official assertion, Shaw College mentioned it “takes any allegations of misconduct significantly” however declined to supply additional remark whereas reviewing the matter. The college additionally introduced that Lou Hamilton, who joined this system in 2023, would step in as interim head coach. Hamilton is a seasoned coach with expertise at a number of HBCUs together with Grambling State, Delaware State, North Carolina A&T, and most lately as an assistant at Norfolk State. Shaw confirmed it is going to launch a seek for a everlasting head coach following the 2025–26 season.
A Storied Profession Ends in Controversy
Curtis’s exit marks an advanced finish to one of the vital profitable teaching eras in Shaw College athletic historical past. Throughout his tenure, the Woman Bears rose to nationwide prominence, profitable the 2012 NCAA Division II nationwide title and dominating the CIAA with 9 convention championships. Whereas his on-court success is plain, the allegations from previous and current gamers have solid a shadow over his legacy and opened a dialog about athlete well-being in collegiate sports activities.
Highlight on Athlete Welfare at HBCUs
The state of affairs at Shaw underscores broader considerations about how student-athletes’ complaints are dealt with inside collegiate athletics, particularly at traditionally Black schools and universities. Advocates for athletes have pointed to the incident for example of the necessity for stronger reporting techniques, higher oversight, and clear investigations to make sure gamers really feel protected talking up about mistreatment.
Trying Forward for the Woman Bears
Because the Woman Bears put together for the upcoming season beneath new management, gamers and followers hope this system can transfer ahead whereas addressing the considerations raised. Interim coach Hamilton faces the twin problem of main the staff competitively whereas rebuilding belief throughout the locker room. The result of any inside evaluation, mixed with the staff’s efficiency this season, will possible outline the following chapter of Shaw girls’s basketball.
