Research flags emotional abuse in sports
New reporting on emotional abuse in college sports spotlights mental‑health risks for student‑athletes and suggests alumni programming could center wellbeing and peer support for former athletes (npr.org).
A California appeals court reinstated $500,000 in punitive damages for former University of San Francisco player Marija Galic and ordered a new trial for her twin sister Marta in their suit alleging years of verbal and emotional abuse by coach Molly Goodenbour. (espn.com) Michigan State Athletics launched the "Alumni STATE of Mind" program on Feb. 1, 2024, offering a 24/7 concierge line, a nationwide network of vetted providers and discounted pricing to extend behavioral‑health access to former student‑athletes and their families. (msuspartans.com) Two University of Tennessee alumni co‑founded Onrise to deliver athlete‑specific peer support, therapy and 24/7 crisis services aimed at current and former athletes. (haslam.utk.edu) The NHL Alumni Association partnered with the mental‑wellness platform NDUR in May 2025 to integrate former players’ voices and peer‑driven tools into student‑athlete wellbeing initiatives. (nhlalumni.com) Texas Tech centralized outreach to letterwinners via the Athlete Network platform to reduce fragmented communication and create measurable alumni‑athlete engagement metrics. (gravyty.com) ADAK and other athlete‑specific communities provide sport‑by‑sport mentorship and networking infrastructure that programs can leverage to build peer support among former players. (adakapp.com) An AthleticDirectorU experts’ roundtable described institutional models that coordinate aftercare for former athletes through shared clinical networks and concierge referral services. (athleticdirectoru.com) The University of Michigan’s "Life After Sports" initiative offers transition resources, provider navigation and insurance guidance specifically for alumni athletes. (athletesconnected.umich.edu) An NCAA 2022–23 Student‑Athlete Health and Wellness Study collected responses from 23,272 current student‑athletes and found that mental‑health problems, while improved since 2020, remain relatively high and are concentrated among women, BIPOC and LGBTQ+ athletes. (ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com)
