A women’s soccer coach for the University of Texas Permian Basin was suspended on Wednesday after a letter submitted to the NCAA levied allegations of improper behavior done by her to her players.
Carla Tejas, a 28-year-old woman, was suspended and put on paid administrative leave by the university after a letter written and sent by a group of anonymous individuals claiming to be team members accused her of different improper behaviors involving the players of the school’s teams, according to Your Basin.
Tejas has been accused of, among other things, kissing male members of the soccer team in full view of the public, illegally providing alcohol to minors, and reportedly asking students to pay for her DUI. The university has suspended her as the university continues to investigate the allegations, the San Antonio Express-News reported.
“We are aware of the allegations made against Coach Tejas,” Athletic Director Todd Doley said. “As a result, she has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.”
“In our UTPB athletics program the wellbeing, safety, and support of our student athletes always comes first,” Alexa Dunson, a spokesperson for the University of Texas Permian Basin, said. “That will never change. These kinds of allegations are taken very seriously. Right now, our focus is on our women's soccer team and providing any additional support our players need.”
The allegations were brought up after Tejas was arrested on Sept. 11 for driving under the influence. The officers who arrested her noted that she reeked of alcohol, had slurred speech, and was unsteady as she attempted to do field sobriety tests for the officers. The students and team members reportedly came forward in the belief that they would just “sweep her arrest under the rug,” the New York Post reported.
Though the students and team members who came forward with the allegations remain anonymous, some of her former students have come forward to levy their own accusations on the teaching practices of Tejas. Many reportedly suffered from mental distress and suicidal thoughts under her tutelage.
“She’s telling me everybody hates me and nobody wants me on the team and this had been after a few months of abuse from Carla. That was the tipping point with a lot of other things that had gone on mainly from Carla and Kimberly Harrell that led to me attempting suicide that day,” former student Nolyn Murphy said.
Tejas has not made a statement regarding the suspension as of writing this.
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