Emotional Abuse in College Sports - Up First from NPR Recap
Podcast: Up First from NPR
Published: 2026-03-15
Duration: 45 min
Guests: Julia Haney, Elizabeth Santos
Summary
This episode examines emotional abuse in college sports, focusing on the experiences of athletes like Julia Pernsteiner and the Galich twins. It highlights the lack of effective systems to address such abuse and the legal challenges athletes face in seeking redress.
What Happened
The episode starts with Aisha Roscoe introducing the complex issue of emotional abuse in college sports, an often overlooked form of abuse compared to sexual and physical abuse. Julia Pernsteiner, a former D1 cross-country runner, is highlighted as a victim who reported her coach Ronald Gregg for emotional abuse, but her complaints were ignored, leading to her tragic suicide.
Reporters Julia Haney and Elizabeth Santos discuss their investigation into emotional abuse in sports, revealing a pattern of verbal attacks, manipulation, and controlling behaviors by coaches. They focus on the case of Maria and Marta Galich, basketball players from Croatia who faced emotional abuse at the University of San Francisco under coach Molly Guttenbauer.
The Galich twins experienced derogatory language and threats of scholarship loss from their coach, which led them to file a lawsuit for intentional infliction of emotional distress. The jury sided partially with the twins, acknowledging Guttenbauer's outrageous behavior but not attributing severe emotional distress to Marta.
The episode underscores the systemic failures in addressing emotional abuse, with institutions like NCAA lacking clear policies. SafeSport, primarily focused on sexual abuse, is not equipped to handle emotional abuse cases, leaving athletes with limited recourse.
USF's investigation into the Galich twins' complaints was criticized for its lack of thoroughness, as it did not interview other athletes. Despite the legal case, Coach Guttenbauer remains in her position at USF, highlighting the challenges in holding coaches accountable.
Marta moved on to Tulane University, where she thrived under a supportive coach, contrasting her experience at USF. The episode closes with reflections on the impact of emotional abuse on athletes' mental health and the need for better protective measures.
Key Insights
- Emotional abuse in college sports often involves verbal attacks, manipulation, and controlling behaviors by coaches, yet it remains less addressed compared to physical or sexual abuse. The NCAA lacks specific policies to handle such cases, leaving athletes vulnerable.
- The case of Maria and Marta Galich against their coach at the University of San Francisco resulted in a partial jury verdict acknowledging the coach's outrageous behavior but not attributing severe emotional distress to one of the twins.
- SafeSport, an organization primarily focused on addressing sexual abuse in sports, is not adequately equipped to handle emotional abuse cases, limiting the resources available for affected athletes.
- Despite legal action and criticism of the investigation process, the coach accused of emotional abuse at the University of San Francisco remains in her position, highlighting the challenges in holding coaches accountable for such behavior.