Former Cal intern accuses football coaches, players of sexual harassment
A former sports medicine intern accused Cal football coaches and players of sexual harassment in a lengthy Facebook post published Wednesday.
Paige Cornelius claimed an unnamed member of Cal's coaching staff told her "I will get you fired if you do not have sex with me" and, on another occasion, kissed her in a stadium office without her consent. She wrote on Facebook that another coach, whom she said is still employed by the school, invited her to go to the pool with him because she "would look amazing in a bikini."
In a statement provided to Paste BN Sports and other media outlets, the Cal athletic department called the allegations "very disturbing" and said they "go against the very core of our values."
The department said it has referred the matter to university's Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination.
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"While we can discuss our process for handling these matters, we generally cannot address any specific case," the department said in its statement. "Allegations of sexual violence and sexual harassment by campus employees are confidential unless officials determine policy is violated, and disciplinary action has been decided. Such allegations against students remain private regardless of the outcome, under UC policy and federal law regarding student records."
The athletic department does not have its own conduct process with regards to sexual harassment allegations, but instead follows the university's overarching policy.
In her Facebook post, Cornelius wrote that she has withdrawn from school to seek therapy for post-traumatic stress and anxiety related to the incidents. She also notes instances of sexual harassment from players, which she said have become normalized in a college atmosphere.
"What I did not expect was the ruthless, endless, and persistent sex harassment from the coaches," she wrote.
Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.