The Missouri softball team made headlines over the weekend when they announced they were playing an SEC game against South Carolina in protest of the athletic department’s investigation of head coach Ehren Earleywine.
Prior to Saturday’s game, Tigers players distributed a statement throughout the press box stating that they opposed the investigation:
Player statement pic.twitter.com/alup4O5VNC
— Blake Toppmeyer (@btoppmeyer) May 7, 2016
As the SEC Tournament began this week, not a lot of information had trickled out regarding the investigation. The athletic department stated the following in response to the players announcing their protest:
“In recent weeks we have received complaints concerning our softball program. These complaints have come from both inside and outside the program. In response, the university launched an internal review. The review is ongoing and involves personnel matters, therefore, the University of Missouri and Mizzou athletics will have no other comment at this time.”
On Monday, the Columbia Daily Tribune’s Blake Toppmeyer published a story detailing some of the issues Earleywine may be under investigation for and how the issue materialized.
“One MU softball player’s parent, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Missouri players were weary from travel amid an early-season schedule loaded with road games when they discussed among themselves some complaints about Earleywine. The parent said a player email was sent to Rhoades suggesting widespread unhappiness with the coach.
The parent said that after the email was sent, the players gathered for a few team meetings and, aside from perhaps four disgruntled players, they decided they were fine with Earleywine. But the email set in motion an investigation that could not be undone, the parent said.”
That meshes with what Larry Brown Sports has heard. We have heard that it’s just a few players who had issues with Earleywine, while the majority of players support the coach, who has reached the NCAA Tournament in all 10 years he’s been in charge of Mizzou’s softball program.
The article states that the program’s leadership council — a representative from each of the freshman, sophomore, junior and senior classes — decided that they would write and distribute a letter noting their protest of the investigation.
So what are some of the issues Missouri might be investigating with Earleywine?
– The coach has noted that he uses profanity and his language isn’t always the cleanest. He also acknowledges his style of coaching is old school.
– The dismissal of outfielder Sara Harvey from the program is likely part of the investigation.
– Earleywine acknowledged there are some situations some players would have liked to see handled differently.
– A Joe Walljasper article says “there were complaints from current and former players that Earleywine intimidated them and created a ‘culture of anxiety.'”
– The decision to put pitcher Paige Lowary back in a game after she was hit in the head by a line drive on this play.
– The type of physical condition he has asked from some of his player(s)
– A 2015 email exchange with Missouri State’s coach in which he called her program horse-crap
In an interview with SEC Network prior to his team’s 7-4 loss to South Carolina on Wednesday, Earleywine described the situation as “volatile.”
“We’ve had more meetings in the last month than the last five years,” Earleywine said. He also said the matter is “volatile” and that there are times his players have felt great, whereas at other times they feel defeated.
Earleywine says he would like to coach at Mizzou for the rest of his career.
