The University of Pittsburgh is facing scrutiny following recent developments involving multiple former players in its women’s basketball program.

On Friday, six women who previously played for the Panthers filed individual lawsuits in federal court against head coach Tory Verdi and the university, alleging violations of Title IX and other claims tied to their time in the program, which includes coach Verdi creating a hostile environment, engaging in psychological abuse, and retaliating against players who raised concerns.

The plaintiffs named in the lawsuits are:

• Favor Ayodele (now a graduate student playing at Grand Canyon University).
• Raeven Boswell (who remains enrolled at Pitt).
• Makayla Elmore (a senior at the time of the alleged incidents).
• Brooklynn Miles (also a senior at the time).
• Isabella Perkins (now a student at Boston College).
• Jasmine Timmerson (currently playing at Davidson College).

As per reports, several of the women were on Division I basketball scholarships at Pitt. And according to her complaint, Perkins said she was recruited by Verdi with the promise of “an inclusive, empowering team environment.” She alleges that during the fall of 2023, she experienced “public humiliation, verbal degradation, arbitrary reductions in playing time, exclusion from team activities, favoritism of other players, manipulation of player statistics, and inappropriate commentary regarding plaintiff’s physical appearance, emotional state, and performance.”

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Furthermore, the lawsuits assert that university officials were aware of complaints made by students. But not only did they fail to act on them, they allegedly retaliated against the players who raised concerns.

Perkins also alleged that she was removed from the team without any procedure being followed after she raised concerns about Tory Verdi. According to her, the university delayed acting on her request for redshirt status and only moved forward after she hired a lawyer.

“This environment of fear and silence was cultivated through deliberate inaction by defendant university and exploited by Defendant Verdi as a tool of control,” attorney Keenan Holmes wrote in Ayodele’s complaint.

One allegation against the coach states that during the 2023–24 season, Verdi told the team, “Every night I lie in bed, I want to kill myself because of you.”

“This shocking statement, made by a figure in power, caused fear, emotional distress, and confusion among players and contributed significantly to the emotionally abusive environment that permeated the program,” Holmes added. According to the complaint, Verdi also attempted to create racial division within the team by suggesting that players should “hung out” only with teammates of the same race.

Holmes addressed the allegations publicly, stating, “This case is not about the Xs and Os of coaching. Some of his actions go beyond sports. This went beyond the bounds of decency. We’re looking for Pitt to do the right thing to make sure other players don’t have the same experience.”

Pitt Pushes Back on Allegations Against Tory Verdi

Coach Verdi was hired in April 2023 to become the Panthers’ 10th head coach by then–athletic director Heather Lyke. But before he arrived at Pitt, he coached at Eastern Michigan and then spent seven seasons at UMass. The Panthers last reached the NCAA Tournament in 2015.

So when the news of the lawsuit reached his current program, a spokesperson for the University of Pittsburgh came forward to address the allegations.

“The university is aware of these lawsuits and their allegations, which are without merit and will be vigorously defended,” Jared Stonesifer said in a statement.

The plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages and a declaration that the university violated Title IX.

As for what’s going on with them in the 2025-26 NCAA season, Pitt’s women’s basketball team currently sits at 8–17 overall and is 1–11 in the ACC. For their upcoming game, they are scheduled to host Syracuse at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Petersen Events Center, with six regular-season games remaining on their schedule.

As the case continues to move through federal court, both sides are expected to present their arguments in the coming months.