Former Harvard Women’s Ice Hockey Coach Katey Stone Sues University, Alleges Gender Discrimination

Updated July 23, 2024, at 11:15 p.m.

BOSTON — The former coach of the Harvard women’s ice hockey team filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the University on Tuesday, accusing top administration officials of forcing her to retire over false misconduct allegations.

Katey Stone, who led the team for 29 years, stepped down last year amid an investigation by the University into her coaching practices and allegations from former players that Stone fostered a toxic environment on the team, including that she was insensitive to players’ mental health issues and downplayed injuries.

Stone alleged in the suit that those allegations — which she described as false — and unfair treatment she received compared to male head coaches at other Harvard athletic programs, led University officials to push Stone out of her role leading the women’s ice hockey team.

“Harvard’s attack on Coach Stone is part and parcel of a larger culture at the University wherein female coaches are undervalued, underpaid, heavily scrutinized, and held to a breathtakingly more stringent standard of behavior than their male counterparts,” the lawsuit reads.

Harvard College spokesperson Jonathan Palumbo declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing a policy of not commenting on pending legal matters.

The lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Massachusetts, also alleged that the University unfairly held Stone responsible for the actions of her players even though an investigation commissioned by Harvard Athletic Director Erin McDermott did not find a “culture of hazing” on the women’s ice hockey team.

Multiple media reports, including investigations published by the Boston Globe and the Athletic, cited former players who alleged Stone used discriminatory language, including once saying that there were “too many chiefs and not enough Indians” on the team while looking at an Indigenous player. (Stone claimed in her lawsuit that at the time of the incident she “immediately paused, recognized her poor word choice, apologized to the players in attendance.”)

Former players also alleged that Stone turned a blind eye to harmful hazing practices among athletes on her team. One tradition, described by players as a “naked skate,” left some with “ice burns and bleeding nipples,” the Athletic reported in March 2023.

Stone claimed she had no knowledge of the practice. The lawsuit alleged the University did not take action on similar traditions, including a ritual on the men’s swimming and diving team that involves “jumping from their diving board ‘naked.’”

As another example of gender discrimination, the lawsuit cited a Crimson investigation that revealed the 2012 men’s soccer team had produced a document that evaluated freshmen recruits from the 2012 women’s soccer team based on their perceived physical attractiveness and sexual appeal. The team’s season was subsequently canceled.

“The male head coach of the men’s soccer team at the time continued in his post until 2019, and upon information and belief, was never accused of misconduct based on his players’ actions,” the suit reads.

In her lawsuit, Stone also claimed that McDermott once told her that the toxicity allegations “wouldn’t be happening to a men’s coach.” The lawsuit described McDermott’s comment as “a shocking admission and endorsement by a senior official at Harvard.”

McDermott did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

Stone is seeking monetary damages from Harvard. In addition to the University, the lawsuit listed 50 anonymous individual defendants, described as “individuals who have conspired against and defamed Coach Stone” or individuals who served as representatives for those who participated in the alleged discrimination against Stone.

Stone announced the lawsuit at a press conference in Boston Tuesday afternoon, alongside her lawyer Andrew T. Miltenberg and several former players from her time at Harvard who delivered statements in support of Stone’s character and coaching style.

Stone spoke only briefly at the conference, saying that the intense scrutiny on coaches is driving talented professionals away from sports.

“Women who are strong, confident, and competitive coaches, were once looked up to as role models,” Stone said. “Today, these female coaches are viewed by too many athletes, parents, and administrators as being harmful — even emotionally abusive.”

“The coaching profession is losing excellent coaches at an alarming rate, as the scrutiny grows more intense and biased compared to our male counterparts,” she added. “This is the reality across the country, and the unequal treatment of female coaches at Harvard must end.”

—Staff writer Elyse C. Goncalves reported from Boston. She can be reached at elyse.goncalves@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @e1ysegoncalves or on Threads @elyse.goncalves.

—Staff writer Jo B. Lemann reported from New York. She can be reached at jo.lemann@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @Jo_Lemann.