Howard student kicked off lacrosse team alleges her mental health was not supported

WASHINGTON (7News) — A Howard University student said she was kicked off her lacrosse team after publicly accusing her coach of not giving her mental health support. That student has now hired an attorney and the University is investigating the incident -- saying the student was not removed from the team for that reason.

In an exclusive interview with 7News, Howard University sophomore Taylor Matthews said that her whole life, she has only ever wanted to play sports.

Matthews said she was recruited to the Howard lacrosse team her senior year of high school, but in the fall of 2021, she says the team environment quickly turned.

"Felt like I was walking on eggshells," Matthews said.

Matthews told 7News some upperclassmen started harassing her and another teammate, cursing at them and using threatening language. In one instance, Matthews said a player got physical with her.

"She proceeded to basically stomp on my thigh, the side of my thigh, with her cleat on," Matthews said.

Matthews said she told her head coach, Karen Healy-Silcott. Matthews said Silcott did not take action but instead, threatened to take all players’ athletic scholarships away.

"I started to have performance anxiety, because I felt like I had to be perfect," Matthews said. "I felt like every catch was, you know, determining whether I could stay at Howard or not."

Matthews said she also faced pressure from her coach to return after two injuries, tendinitis, and a concussion during practice.

Matthews said she’s dealt with mental health struggles in the past -- and made her coach aware she was struggling in the fall.

"She would continue to summon me to her office, to badger me with questions about my mental health," Matthews said. "And just proceed to make me very uncomfortable."

READ ALSO: Family of VCU student Adam Oakes sues Delta Chi fraternity for $28M over hazing death

On Jan. 26, Matthews took part in a public mental health panel and was asked if she felt supported by coaches and administrators at her school.

"I absolutely do not think I got any support from my coaching staff whatsoever," she answered, calling her relationship with her coach, "contentious." Two days later, Matthews said she was kicked off the team.

Matthews said she’d never been placed on probation and had good grades.

The university told 7News Matthews was not removed due to her participation in the panel.

Matthews said, her coach told her she was no longer on the team, because she would step out of drills.

"Sometimes I will step out of drills just so I can see it visually, because I’m a visual learner," Matthews said.

"The reasoning she gave me, it didn’t seem like the punishment fit the crime."

Howard also sent a statement to 7News in response:

"The university takes all allegations of bullying and harassment seriously. At the current time, there is no evidence of misconduct, but this matter is currently in the investigation process. The university cannot comment further under family educational rights and privacy act (FERPA)."

READ ALSO: Parents concerned about bullying at James Madison Middle, asking PGCPS to step in

Matthews’s attorney Don Jackson believes both Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act were violated.

"This seems to be a systemic failure by the athletic administration and the administration of the university, to protect the interest of students that are participating in extracurricular activities," Jackson said. "And that failure violates federal law."

Jackson says within the next few days the family will decide how to proceed.

For now, Matthews still has her scholarship but just wants to be on the field.

"I just want to be back on the team," Matthews said. "I want to score goals on offense, my only goal is I just want to play."