Head coach Lynne Roberts of the Utah Utes.Photo:Chris Gardner/Getty
Chris Gardner/Getty
Utah’s women’s basketball team reportedly changed hotels while staying in Idaho after experiencing a string of “racial hate crimes” as they competed in the NCAA March Madness Tournament.
Head coach Lynne Roberts explained during a press conference on Monday that her team had been staying at a hotel in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, roughly 30 miles away from where Utah played Gonzaga University in Spokane.
“We had several instances of some kind of racial hate crimes towards our program,” Roberts, 48, told reporters at the podium, perCNNandThe Washington Post. The coach described the situation as “incredibly upsetting for all of us” and “shocking” while speaking to the media.
The statement described two “disturbing” encounters, adding that 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,” the statement continued. “Out of concern for their well-being and safety, we worked with Gonzaga and the NCAA to move to alternate accommodations in Spokane.”
Harlan, Roberts and Green said they remain “very disappointed” that the team was assigned to a hotel far from the competition site in Spokane and were working with NCAA to “make it clear” this was “unacceptable and a contributing factor to the impact of this incident.”
Utah’s deputy athletics director Charmelle Green, who is Black, shared additional information on the incidents in an interview withKSL.comon Monday night.
According to Green, the Utah women’s basketball team was walking to a local restaurant with members of the school’s band and cheerleading team on Thursday evening when a white truck pulled up alongside them, revved the vehicle’s engine and yelled a racial slur at the group.
Green told the outlet that they were “in shock” after the car sped off.
Once the Utes finished eating dinner, the team was forced into another scary situation when two trucks were allegedly using their engines to intimidate the group and continued shouting the racial slur.
Green told KSL.com that she became “emotional and started to cry” at that point. The group managed to safely return to their hotel, where Green said she was “numb the entire night.”
Lani White #3, Reese Ross #20, Kennady McQueen #24, Ines Vieira #2, and Dasia Young #34 of the Utah Utes celebrate their win over the USC Trojans.Chris Gardner/Getty
According toCNN, Spokane’s limited hotel accommodations for the tournament forced Utah to stay in the hotel approximately 30 miles from the McCarthey Athletic Center, where the Utes played the Bulldogs Monday night.
The region of Spokane reportedly has a history of far-right extremists groups living in the area. According to CNN, the Southern Poverty Law Center reported at least nine of those groups, including Proud Boys and ACT, were operating in the area in 2018.
The NCAA, Utah and the host team Gonzaga worked together to find a new hotel for the Utes, according to KSL.com and CNN.
After Thursday’s incident, Green spoke to Harlan, who said the team “should not have been there” in the first place when he spoke to KSL.com. “I do appreciate the NCAA and Gonzaga moving us from that situation, but we should never have been there in the first place. So a lot of folks need to get home and heal from the whole matter,” he said.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The statement continued, “We worked hard to secure the opportunity to serve as the host institution, and our first priority is and must be the safety and welfare of all student-athletes, coaches, families and supporting staff. To this end, we have worked closely with the NCAA and program participants to support the security and safety of everyone involved.”
In their statement, Harlan, Green and Roberts thanked Gonzaga, Coeur d’Alene Mayor Jim Hammond and other local officials for their support. “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,” their statement read.
source: people.com
