MU softball coach calls for end to players’ protest against athletic administration

Missouri softball coach Ehren Earleywine called Friday for an end to his team’s protest of the Tigers’ athletic department, which is investigating several allegations from inside and outside the program against him.

In a text message to The Star and other media outlets, Earleywine wrote that the support from his players was “the greatest compliment I’ve ever been paid … in 23 years of coaching,” then he publicly asked his players to end a protest that started Saturday and to “allow (Tigers athletic director) Mack Rhoades and his staff to do their job uninterrupted.”

Earleywine has been under investigation by the Mizzou athletic department for more than a month for alleged verbal abuse of players. Rhoades told KTGR (103.1 FM) in Columbia on Thursday that the investigation was ongoing.

The Tigers’ players went public in denouncing the investigation last weekend, passing out a statement in the University Field press box in Columbia before the penultimate game of the regular season.

Rhoades reiterated that the investigation centered on “serious” allegations from inside and outside the program.

“We have a responsibility to investigate what was brought to us … not by just one person, not just two people, but several,” he said.

The athletic department did not immediately reply to Earleywine’s statement Friday afternoon.

On Thursday, the softball team’s unity council, comprised of one freshman, sophomore, junior and senior player, released two documents that expanded on why the team decided to protest the administration’s investigation of Earleywine. The unity council claimed allegations of abuse against Earleywine were made by players disgruntled with their performance and playing time.

In the documents, the unity council also references a complaint that Earleywine “is sexist or disrespectful to women,” an allegation it called “absolutely absurd.”

The unity council — identified by Earleywine as senior shortstop Sami Fagan, junior left fielder Natalie Fleming, sophomore infielder Paige Bange and freshman infielder Jolie Duffner — acknowledged contacting an attorney to communicate with the university on its behalf after the players took part in mandatory interviews with three members of Missouri’s staff, which they described as contentious and akin to “interrogations.”

Earleywine called for a ceasefire Friday, writing that he was “frustrated with all of the negative media that has surrounded Mizzou over the past year or two and instead of being a part of the problem, I want to be a part of the solution.” Earleywine is a Jefferson City native.

Earleywine also asked the players’ lawyer to “stand down.”

He ended his text message with what was meant as a joke but has been received by many as in poor taste: “And players — if you don’t do what I say, I may have to physical and emotionally beat you up … again J”

Earleywine clarified that the J was supposed to be a smiley face, but it did not appear as an emoticon to some text-message recipients.

Here is the full text message from Earleywine:

“The support from my team over the past couple of weeks has been the greatest compliment I’ve ever been paid by my players in 23 years of coaching,” he wrote. “I am beyond grateful for those who were/are in my corner and will never forget what they did on my behalf.

“Now that the administration, media and public know the facts and their stance, I would like for them to end the Protest and allow Mack Rhoades and his staff to do their job uninterrupted.

“I do understand that the players not only have a constitutional right to their opinion and freedom of speech, but they also have a lawyer that is working with them to insure a fair and just process. I would also ask that the lawyer ‘stand down’ until a final decision has been made from our Administration.

“I, like most Missourian’s, am frustrated with all of the negative media that has surrounded Mizzou over the past year or two and instead of being a part of the problem, I want to be a part of the solution.

“I hope the players and their lawyer will honor my request so that the administration can do their job and we can focus our energy on playing softball and representing our state and this University to the best of our abilities.

“And players - if you don’t do what I say, I may have to physical and emotionally beat you up…again J”

This story was originally published May 13, 2016 at 3:32 PM with the headline "MU softball coach calls for end to players’ protest against athletic administration."