Make New York Post a Preferred Source As Columbia women’s basketball head coach Megan Griffith returned from a three-game suspension Thursday, 15 former players jointly blasted the university’s “token disciplinary measure” and said the actions of Griffith — whose alleged conduct in practices was the subject of an external review — require “meaningful accountability,” according to The Athletic.
A former player under Griffith filed a complaint in September that included statements from five other athletes dating back to Griffith’s first year with the program in 2016 — including one who allegedly also filed a complaint over Griffith’s conduct in 2019, according to the outlet.
“Our firsthand experiences cite serious concerns about a culture of emotional and psychological abuse, the mistreatment of injured players, and the utter disregard for athletes’ mental health,” the group of 15 former players said in a statement to The Athletic.
Columbia Lions head coach Megan Griffith instructs her team during the second half against the Michigan Wolverines in New York on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026. Getty Images The complaint and supplementary statements alleged that Griffith “created a culture of verbal abuse, bullying and manipulation,” establishing an environment that left players feeling like they were walking “on eggshells” and fearing that “a small action would launch a tirade,” the outlet added, citing the complaint.
She also allegedly used degrading phrases such as “zeroes in life” when addressing athletes and allegedly threatened to kick players off the team if they communicated in Spanish, and Griffith was referred to as an “emotionally manipulative” person in the complaint, according to The Athletic.
Griffith would allegedly boot players from the Columbia locker room and from practice, while also allegedly forcing players to sit in a chair facing a corner of the gym during practice if they messed up, according to The Athletic.
“It truly feels as if you are at the mercy of an unhinged person,” one Columbia player wrote in the complaint, according to the outlet.
Columbia Lions head coach Megan Griffith reacts during an NCAA college basketball game against the Michigan Wolverines, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026, in New York. AP Photo/Ishika Samant “I fully respect the process of the University review and take complete responsibility for everything that happens in the program, including the times my conduct fell short,” Griffith said in a statement to The Athletic on Thursday. “As the Head Coach and a former student-athlete at Columbia University, there is nothing more important to me than the success and well-being of my players.”
A Columbia spokesperson told the outlet in a statement that it’s “committed to the well-being of its student-athletes and an inclusive and supportive environment for Women’s Basketball and all of our athletic programs.”
Griffith returned for Columbia’s 81-58 loss to No. 2 Michigan on Thursday after associate head coach Tyler Cordell served as the acting head coach for the previous three games — though Griffith was reportedly still allowed to run practices.
She is 174-100 since taking over in the 2016-17 season and is the winningest coach in program history.
