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Former Western Oregon University Basketball Players Sue Coaches for Abusive Behavior

By Kit Yona, M.A. | Reviewed by Joseph Fawbush, Esq. | Last updated on

The character of a demanding coach pushing players to their limits and beyond is an oft-used trope in TV and movies. Gruff and implacable, they accept no excuses as they toughen their athletes and help them find the inner strength and mental fortitude needed to achieve new heights. They're breaking them down to build them back up again so they can reach the pinnacle of success.

In the real world, it's a fine line between motivation and abuse. Nine former members of the Western Oregon University (WOU) women's basketball team filed a lawsuit for about $28 million on January 29, 2025. The suit alleges that their coaches engaged in abusive and damaging behavior and that members of the WOU faculty did nothing to resolve the issues.

A Full-Court Press

Head coach Jessica Peatross and assistant coach Demetrius (DJ) Marlow began their tenure at WOU in June 2023. The members of the team, who had been involved in the process of finding a coach to replace the previous one who had resigned, were shocked by the school's selection of Peatross.

According to the lawsuit, the abusive behavior began at once through disparaging and humiliating remarks made about the physical condition of the players by the coaches. One player was told to stop taking her antidepressant medication and, when pulled from a game, was mockingly asked if she'd forgotten to take her dose that day.

The players allege the coaches sidestepped National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) guidelines for limits on practices by inaccurately scheduling them as "team-building exercises." Practices contained "unreasonable" amounts of exercise that the players viewed as punitive rather than beneficial. The coaches kept up a steady stream of hurtful and demeaning criticism.

The suit claims that players suffered bloody feet, dehydration, exhaustion, and unhealthy weight loss as a result of the excessive practices. If a player stopped running to vomit, the coaches would add more time as punishment. The coaches seized the players' phones on nights spent in hotels before away games, threatening to "get the players up at 3 a.m. and making them run until the sun came up" if they were caught with one.

Players met with school officials to voice their concerns and were assured something would be done about it. The coaches used this to increase the severity of the practices and warned the plaintiffs not to try to go over their heads again.

Things came to a head on Feb. 12, 2024. After the coaches arrived late to practice, the players spent the next hour performing a drill with minimal breaks. A player bumped into Peatross, who was on the basketball court. Peatross accused the player of doing it on purpose and told her to leave the court.

Peatross later filed a police report while claiming an injury that was a "10 out of 10" on the pain scale but was uncooperative with the police investigation. Law enforcement obtained footage of the alleged incident that didn't support Peatross' claims. No charges were filed.

Throwing Up a Brick

After the incident, the two coaches were put on administrative leave and an outside law firm contracted to investigate. The team decided to forfeit the remaining six games on their schedule. The suit alleges that the investigation was a farce, with only four team members being interviewed and no requests for incriminating evidence from the investigator.

After the investigation, the coaches were reinstated. All the players who had complained were dismissed from the team after meeting with the coaches. Their scholarships were terminated by WOU soon after. Only the two players who hadn't complained were permitted to remain on the team.

The lawsuit, filed by nine of the players, names as defendants Western Oregon University, Coaches Peatross and Marlow, the dean of students, the athletic director, and the school president. Claiming their scholarships were taken away as retaliation, they are seeking the following:

  • $28.2 million
  • Reinstatement on the team for the players still at Western Oregon
  • The firing of Peatross and Marlow
  • Training at WOU to prevent harassment, abuse, and retaliation
  • Requiring the university to provide counseling to current and former players
  • Appointment of an independent monitor for two years to ensure compliance with player safety

The lawsuit also charges that Peatross violated a state law for summoning police with improper intent. Only one player dismissed from the team chose not to be part of the suit.

Time To Rebound?

The coaches remained in charge of the women's basketball team into the 2024-25 season. While some players transferred to play elsewhere, several remained at WOU and considered their basketball careers as over. A different kind of court will decide if they were victims of a personal foul.

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