A former player of Arizona women’s basketball assistant coach Sean LeBeauf, who is a first-year coach at the UA, filed a sexual harassment complaint against him, according to reports.
Former Paris Junior College women’s basketball player Ebonee Tate filed the complaint against LeBeauf and PJC President Pam Anglin, with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas on December 13, 2013 according to Deadspin.com.
UA director of athletics Greg Byrne said in a statement that Arizona has not received any complaints about LeBeauf.
“The Department of Athletics recently became aware of a lawsuit filed in federal district court in Texas naming Sean LeBeauf, Paris Junior College and other persons associated with Paris Junior College for incidents alleged to have occurred prior to his employment at the University of Arizona,” Byrne said. “The lawsuit does not involve the university and it would be inappropriate for us to comment about the suit. The University of Arizona has received no complaints about Sean LeBeauf and he continues to serve in his capacity as an assistant coach.”
According to the complaint, Tate alleges LeBeauf to have sent “suggestive text messages” and engaged in “inappropriate and unacceptable behavior by subjecting Tate to persistent, sexually oriented discussions and encounters.”
Tate received a full scholarship to join the PJC women’s basketball team prior to the 2011-12 seasons. However, she only spent one season at Paris Junior College. According to the complaint, the aftermath of the alleged interactions with LeBeauf “forced Tate to lose her scholarship, her opportunity to finish school at PJC, and irreparable mental and emotional distress.”
Before joining Niya Butts’ 2013-14 coaching staff at Arizona, Lebeauf spent four years at Paris Junior College as director of athletics and head coach of the women’s basketball team.
Upon his hiring at Arizona, Butts said, “He has a lot of coaching experience on all levels. … He is a great basketball mind, he will be an asset on both sides of the ball, and he will bring a lot of talent to the University of Arizona.”
—Follow Roberto Payne @HouseofPayne555
