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FGCU suspends lone female head coach
Volleyball coach Jaye Flood put on administrative leave due to incident involving student
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The only permanent female head coach at Florida Gulf Coast University has been placed on paid administrative leave as the university investigates her involvement in student welfare issues.
Jaye Flood, former head coach of Florida Gulf Coast University women's volleyball
Volleyball coach Jaye Flood was placed on leave Monday by interim FGCU President Richard Pegnetter. In terms of all-time winning percentage, Flood is the best coach at FGCU. This season, her squad is at a 16-2 mark on the season with a 6-1 record in the Atlantic Sun conference.
“Please be advised that you are being placed on paid administrative leave and relieved of your duties as Head Volley Ball Coach pending an investigation of issues involving student welfare,” Pegnetter wrote to Flood. “This leave will begin immediately on Monday, October 15, 2007.”
Flood has been near the center of an ongoing investigation into gender discrimination issues at the university.
University officials would not comment on the record Tuesday about the administrative leave, citing the ongoing investigation. Flood, who is the only volleyball coach ever at FGCU, did not answer her home phone and could not be reached for comment.
Athletics Director Carl McAloose was informed of the administrative decision Monday afternoon. He said he knew why Flood was under investigation but would not elaborate beyond saying it involved student welfare.
Assistant Coach Carrie Lundy, who is in her third season with the university, will take over as interim head coach. The team has a match against the University of South Florida in Tampa tonight before two homes games this weekend against Jacksonville and the University of North Florida.
With the appointment, Lundy will be the only female head coach of the 11 at the university, which has 14 NCAA sports including eight for women. There are five female assistant coaches and two female student assistants starting this season.
The university started the season with two permanent female head coaches — Flood and Holly Vaughn, the women’s golf team head coach.
Flood’s administrative leave came one day after Vaughn left the university after submitting her resignation on Oct. 1. Despite leaving the golf team after the players won their first tournament of the year, Vaughn said she wanted to pursue opportunities outside of FGCU.
In the spring and over the summer, Vaughn and Flood played a central role in a Title IX investigation at FGCU after former athletics director Merrily Dean Baker complained of gender discrimination to Pegnetter. The investigation found no wrongdoing on the part of the university in its obligations to Title IX, a federal law promoting gender equity in high school and collegiate sports.
The complaints regarding gender equity have been taken to the university’s Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance, and FGCU hired the national employment law firm Littler Mendelson to further look into the matter.
In her annual performance review over the summer, Flood received a sub-par evaluation, which she maintained was a result of her involvement in the Title IX investigation. Vaughn disputed her annual evaluation as well, even though her performance was graded as average.
Because of her poor evaluation, Flood was placed on 120-day probation to improve the quality of her work. Monday was the 100th day of that probationary period.
As part of the Title IX investigation earlier this year, Flood said she was disrespected and isolated at the university, and the athletics department promoted gender inequity.
“I have never been anywhere like this in my life,” Flood wrote in her coach’s questoinnaire. “I love the school, my athletes. I feel like a second-class citizen.”
The athletics department often could be a good old boy’s club, with the men of the department having lunch or poker night together without inviting any of the women.
The volleyball players asked Flood why it seems the athletic director hates her so much, but she told them his personality and hers were just intense, she wrote.
Sports writer Dana Caldwell contributed to this report.
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These were two very successful teams. Can anyone shed some light as to what is really happening here? Is it gross misconduct, inappropriate behavior.....what is going on?? It is all very ambiguous.
#1 Posted by emmis78 on October 17, 2007 at 2:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
makes you wonder what is really going on here...this is too much in the way of coincidences
#2 Posted by coolkraft on October 17, 2007 at 3:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I realize it is conjecture at this point...but here is the behind the scenes story: 1.) Jaye Flood has VB players living in a home she owns in Bella Terra. She bought it as an investment, but like all the other investors, she could not sell it so she leased it to students--perhaps even a few of her own players. If she did lease it to her own players, it would be an NCAA violation. 2.) Another statement heard on campus is that the team broke out in applause when told she was put on probation. The players come here b/c they know it is a good team...not b/c they like her.
P.S. The golf team had not won a match in 3 years...it was not a "good team" Emmis.
#3 Posted by Midwesterner on October 17, 2007 at 3:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Flood is a great coach and loved by her players. This is purely a witch-hunt by the AD who hates her.
#4 Posted by artsy1 on October 17, 2007 at 4:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
OK midwesterner. The meeting held with the team was a closed meeting. Only the players, Carrie Lundy, and the Athletic Dircetor were there. So unless you have been able to get comments from any of those people directly (mind you...local reporters haven't been able to find out anything)you are just helping to perpetuate this witch hunt. You should serioulsly consider getting a new job as reporter, since you can find out scoops no one else can.
However, as a reporter you new boss may want you to report FACTS only, not CONJECTURE!!!
#5 Posted by bluesox on October 17, 2007 at 4:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Jaye Flood is a great person and a dedicated coach, if FGCU lets her go, it will be their loss.
#6 Posted by mend on October 17, 2007 at 6:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually Midwesterner, according to one of the players that we know, EVERYONE was in shock and disbelief that this occurred, especially during the conference games stretch.
#7 Posted by char1960 on October 17, 2007 at 6:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Midwestern said "the players come here b/c they know it is a good team...not b/c they like her."
Clearly you know nothing about sports. For the most part, the COACH is the program. That is why the NCAA frequently allows students to transfer schools freely with no loss of eligibility when a headcoach resigns.
#8 Posted by naplesregular on October 17, 2007 at 8:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually, midwestern has it about right. If you are not connected to the girls in the program, you do not know what you are talking about. Anyone who knows Jaye does not question her coaching ability. The question how she treats players, the game playing she does with players, the fact that top notch players have started with her and quit the game of volleyball for good, and that she sucks the love of the game out of the kids. Talk to the last school in town that she coached for, talk to players parents, talk to actual players who have the freedom to speak with out repercussions. You will get the true story why the university is taking the action that they are and why they have a file two inches thick.
#9 Posted by volley389 on October 17, 2007 at 9:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If she were a man, nobody would question her behavior. She would be glorified for putting FGCU athletics on the map. Maybe she's not the easiest person in the world to get along with, so what. She's not coaching T-ball. If she was the sweetest, kindest coach with a crappy record would she have a job in Division I athletics? She's clearly being held to a different standard.
#10 Posted by ford46 on October 17, 2007 at 10:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Volley - sorry but you are also wrong. I've had several coaches who were not the nicest apples but knew their stuff. Have you never heard/read of coaches who were real SOB's that continued to excel at recruiting and with their records? Players play and coaches coach. If either is not good at what they do, the system replaces them.
Seems that coach Flood's problem is with politics.
#11 Posted by naplesregular on October 18, 2007 at 8:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's disparate treatment. Male coaches are never measured on a standard of how "nice" they are.
#12 Posted by Bob1414 on October 18, 2007 at 8:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There seems to be a pattern here indeed---if FGCU was smart they would go back and look at Flood's employment history. She also got fired from another major Univerisity for a similar issue. Michigan State I believe. Being a head coach at a University requires not only good coaching skills but good judgement skills. Flood seems to have one but not the other. What is hurting womens sports is this type of behavior. I disagree with Ford46 in saying that she is being held to a different standard. If she were a man and were doing the same things with her male players I am certain he would be in the same situation. Again though--I don't believe this is the first time Flood has been in this situation. FGCU needs to investigate that angle and I'm sure it will only strengthen their case.
#13 Posted by detective1 on November 1, 2007 at 7:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
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