Former Florida women's basketball head coach accused of abuse

Former Florida women’s basketball players detailed the abuse they suffered under former head coach Cam Newbauer, who resigned in July citing personal reasons.

In a story by The Independent Florida Alligator’s Zachary Huber, multiple players and family members detailed the toxic environment cultivated by Newbauer.

The former head coach was accused of racist remarks, verbal abuse and even throwing basketballs at players during practices.

“You know how you hear about people in abusive relationships and how they’re broken and they’re almost a shell,” Dana Joubert, mother of former Florida player Mikayla Hayes told Huber. “He broke my child. She was truly broken, and he beat her down. And she didn’t want me to say anything because she thought it would get worse.”

Hayes told her mother that Newbauer hated her and two other freshmen players, Jalaysha Thomas and Tameria Johnson, because they weren’t recruited by him. At the end of her freshman season, Cam Newbauer told Hayes if she chose to stay at UF, she wouldn’t play.

Hayes transferred to Clemson, where she spent three seasons before transferring to Xavier.

Players like Sydney Morang, Cydnee Kinslow, Sydney Searcy and former captain Haley Lorenzen were among other former Gators who spoke out against the former head coach.

Players said Cam Newbauer’s actions gave off the impressions he only cared about what the players did on the court and nothing else. They said the former head coach became defensive if questioned and looked for opportunities to kick players out of practice.

Cam Newbauer told players to change their clothes and cover up tattoos, even ordering assistant coaches to take Johnson and Thomas shopping because he thought the “wife beaters” and long shorts they wore to run errands were inappropriate. Newbauer made microaggressive comments and would taunt players after injuries.

Assistant coaches, strength and conditioning coaches and athletic trainers weren’t above the abuse. Though they witnessed the way the players were treated, they were hesitant to speak up in fear of retaliation.

Players believe associate head coach Kelly Rae Finley, who was appointed as interim head coach is just as complicit.

“Kelly (Rae Finley) did everything she could to sweep it under the rug,” Cydnee Kinslow said to Huber. “She covered for him, and she did damage control.”

In four seasons under Cam Newbauer, the Gators went 46-71 for a .393 winning percentage, which was the worst winning percentage for any head coach in Gators history in their first four seasons.

Despite his poor record, Newbauer signed a contract extension a month before resigning that would have seen him hold the position until 2025.

Cam Newbauer was hired by Florida in 2017 after serving four seasons as head coach at Belmont University. In four seasons, Newbauer led the Bruins to a 79-50 record and made the NCAA tournament twice.