SPRINGFIELD — A woman is suing UMass director of basketball operations Lou Roe in federal court, accusing him and three other basketball team staff members of depriving her of her civil rights.
In addition to Roe, the civil suit names former UMass head basketball coach Derek Kellogg, current assistant coach Shyrone Chatman and former strength coach Richard Hogans. Roe is a UMass alum and former All-American basketball player, who played for the team from 1991 to 1995.
According to the lawsuit, filed Dec. 6 in U.S. District Court in Springfield, Ayanna Hickman, a girls indoor track coach at Amherst Regional High School in 2013-14, is seeking $75,000 in damages. She accuses Roe, Chatman and Hogans of unlawfully detaining and intimidating her in a team office in 2013.
The suit goes on to accuse Kellogg of encouraging and participating “in a cover-up of the incident” so that “information of public interest” would not get out.
Roe was placed on paid administrative leave in December. Hogans worked as the team’s strength coach from 2012 to 2014. Chatman is still employed by the university.
Kellogg was fired as head basketball coach last week after nine seasons with the team. University spokeswoman Molly O’Mara said his firing had nothing to do with the lawsuit.
She said the university is aware of the suit but had no further comment.
The lawsuit alleges that before Dec. 7, 2013, Hickman and Roe had an “intimate but tempestous relationship” and that Roe subjected Hickman to domestic violence.
On Dec. 7 that year, Hickman took her son to the UMass basketball game. Afterward, she and her son were summoned to the team office in the Mullins Center.
“When Hickman arrived at the office, the lights were on; the door was closed; and something was covering the window in the door,” the suit says, adding that Roe and Chatman were in the office.
Hickman alleges she attempted to leave but was prevented from leaving the office by Chatman, who she said blocked the door and told her “there were things they needed to discuss now.”
“Roe and Chatman told Hickman that she could not talk about drug use or domestic violence by team members or staff,” the lawsuit says.
“Before this incident, Roe had told Hickman about the use of banned substances by team members; domestic violence by certain staff members against family members; incidents of infidelity and quashing of potential criminal complaints against unidentified team members.”
Efforts to reach Kellogg for comment Sunday were unsuccessful. Hickman’s attorney, Harry L. Miles, said via email he had no comment on the suit.
Roe’s attorney, Mark Tanner, did not respond to an email sent on Sunday evening.