Former Miami of Ohio women’s basketball coach DeUnna Hendrix, who resigned on Wednesday, departed seven days after the university became aware of intimate text communications between her and a player.
Those communications, provided to The Athletic by a university source, include a string of over 180 text messages spanning an 11-day period. In them, Hendrix wrote “I love you” and “You’re my baby” and told the player: “I. Can’t. Wait. To. Squeeze. You.” In all, more than 30 of the messages were of an intimate nature.
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Athletic director David Sayler became aware of the text messages on the evening of April 19, according to a statement the university provided to The Athletic. Hendrix, 38, was suspended the following day and the university’s Title IX coordinator began an investigation. The team was informed of that review later on April 20 in a meeting with Sayler, associate vice president of human resources Dawn Fahner and associate athletic director Lisa Miller. Sayler told players the review was needed due to some “personal matters.”
The university said in its statement that the review determined “that the matter did not constitute a violation of Title IX or the University’s Sexual Misconduct protocol.” However, the review 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. In its statement, the school said Hendrix was entitled to a due process hearing.
Instead, the university accepted Hendrix’s resignation on April 26. The team was informed of her exit that day.
The announcement of Hendrix’s resignation, posted on the athletic department website, did not include a comment from a school official or reference the investigation. In a statement attributed to Hendrix, she thanked the administration and said: “I look forward to the next phase of my career and continue rooting for the RedHawks.”
Hendrix’s resignation letter, obtained by The Athletic via a public records request, states that her resignation is contingent upon the university responding to all third-party inquiries about her employment “by providing only my dates of employment and position held.” Further, it states that Sayler “agrees he will not disparage me or make any statements to others that may be considered to be derogatory or detrimental to my good name or reputation.”
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Asked why the school did not make it public that Hendrix was under review for alleged misconduct at the time she resigned or why Miami of Ohio would agree to the terms outlined in her letter, a spokesperson emailed: “With our student athletes’ well-being at the forefront of our concerns, and to protect their rights to confidentiality under FERPA, we accepted the Coach’s resignation.”
That spokesperson earlier said the school’s investigation of the matter is closed.
Hendrix did not respond to text messages and phone calls seeking comment. The player on the text string with Hendrix declined to comment when reached by The Athletic.
At the time of her resignation, Hendrix told The Miami Student, the university’s student newspaper: “It’s pretty matter of fact. Just looking at the state of the program, with some valuable pieces jumping in the portal and obviously, we’ve been building for four years. So going into a contract year, it was really important that all the pieces stay in place. And so when it didn’t look that way, you know, I just felt like I needed to slide over and let somebody else take the reins.”
In one text exchange with the player, Hendrix referenced a couple who had been married for many years and added: “Doing this with you openly would be more than ideal.” In a text dated April 9, Hendrix wrote “TODAY IS THE DAYYYYYY that my girl returns to me” and then notes that “the airport will be clear of Miami WBB employees.”
The player also made intimate comments during the text exchanges, including professing her love for Hendrix.
Hendrix arrived at Miami of Ohio from High Point University, where she coached seven seasons, secured two WNIT berths and was named the Big South coach of the year in 2014. Upon hiring Hendrix in 2019, Sayler told the Dayton Daily News that he was sold in part by other women’s basketball coaches who lauded the roundtables Hendrix organized at Final Fours, which convinced him Hendrix “wants to make the student-athlete experience better.”
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“I started getting a picture of somebody who’s hungry, driven and wants to win, but most importantly is a great person and treats people the right way,” Sayler said then.
Miami of Ohio struggled to gain traction in the MAC under Hendrix, averaging nine wins per year. Hendrix ended her tenure with a 35-80 record and 18 conference wins in four seasons.
(Photo: Scott W. Grau / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)