A stunning, new report emerged Friday detailing the circumstances surrounding the resignation of former Miami (Ohio) women’s basketball coach DeUnna Hendrix, who stepped down from the position Wednesday after four years with the school.
According to The Athletic, Hendrix, 38, resigned from the program following an investigation into an inappropriate relationship the former Redhawks coach had with a player. The probe began after Miami (Ohio) athletic director David Sayler reportedly became aware of a series of “intimate” text messages between Hendrix and the unnamed player on the evening of April 19.
A source within the school informed The Athletic the communication involved a “string of over 180 text messages spanning an 11-day period.” The correspondence reportedly included more than 30 messages that were of an “intimate nature,” some of which showed Hendrix telling the player, “I love you” and “You’re my baby,” and the player “professing her love for Hendrix,” per The Athletic.
A day after learning about the relationship, Miami (Ohio) suspended Hendrix, while the school’s Title IX coordinator launched an investigation into the matter. The team was then informed April 20 during a meeting with Sayler, associate athletic director Lisa Miller and associate vice president of human resources Dawn Fahner that the review was needed due to “personal matters.”
Miami (Ohio) later concluded following its review “that the matter did not constitute a violation of Title IX or the University’s Sexual Misconduct protocol.” However, the school went on to say, per The Athletic, that Hendrix was entitled to a due process hearing after it was determined that “there was sufficient information to pursue the termination process for violation of the university’s policy on staff members pursuing or engaging in a consensual amorous relationship with any Miami undergraduate students and breach of contract.”
On April 26, Hendrix elected to voluntarily leave the program, and issued a statement thanking the university for her time. Hendrix’s resignation letter, submitted that same day, reportedly noted that Sayler is prohibited from making any “derogatory” comments regarding the former coach, while the university would only be allowed to provide information about her title and the dates of her employment to inquiring third parties.
“I can’t express the amount of gratitude I have for this prestigious institution and its leadership,” Hendrix said Wednesday. “I also want to thank the Oxford community for the continual love and support. I look forward to the next phase of my career and continue rooting for the RedHawks.”
Hendrix, who began her coaching career at Jacksonville in 2007, joined the Miami (Ohio) women’s basketball program in ’19 after a seven-year stint as the coach at High Point. The Redhawks posted a combined 35–80 record during Hendrix’s tenure.
