On April 8, Stanford announced to investigation participants that an external investigator had been hired to conduct an investigation into men’s water polo head coach Brian Flacks for alleged retaliation against his players following an initial investigation that closed in February, clearing Flacks of emotional abuse allegations.

Letters to the University sent between August and May by parents of players raised concerns about Flacks’ abusive behaviors, intimidation and retaliation. One letter considered by the University as a part of the first investigation, which was reviewed by The Daily, alleged that Flacks’ punishments included “public shaming and belittling, vicious and intense shouting, manipulative psychological mind games, and limiting playtime.”

Families and players now accuse Flacks of retaliation against the players who participated in the initial abuse investigation.

In a public statement made in April, Flacks’ attorney wrote, “He has been fully exonerated and this matter is appropriately closed. Any allegations of retaliation against players are as preposterous as they are false. It is unfortunate that such a false cloud should continue to hang over both the coach and Stanford as they both deserve better.”

Flacks — a UCLA water polo walk-on — served as head coach at Harvard Westlake High School’s Water Polo from 2011 until he was hired by Stanford in 2022. The Daily reached out to Flacks for comment but was told that he could not provide comment due to the ongoing investigation.

“When [my son] enrolled at Stanford and joined the Stanford water polo team, we entrusted both the University and the team with his physical and psychological well-being. We were profoundly disappointed,” a family formerly associated with the team wrote in a statement to The Daily. They chose to be anonymous for fear of retaliation against their family.

In April, two former and 13 current players wrote letters of support for Flacks following the launch of the second investigation. Water polo team captain CJ Indart ’25 wrote in a statement to The Daily that the letter “was written and signed without any involvement or pressure from the coaching staff. The individuals who signed said statement did so on their own volition.” 

30 parents of players also wrote and signed a letter of support for Flacks, writing that “a supermajority of parents support Brian Flacks.”

Danielle Pittman, whose son Riley Pittman ’25 was the team’s 2024 senior captain, labeled Flacks’ treatment as a case of “tough love” and likened him to former Alabama football coach Nick Saban.

“I don’t think it’s accurate to say [Flacks is] unfair. I’m not gonna say that kids didn’t get upset because I think athletes in all programs across the nation and in other countries get upset too. I just think it’s the nature of the beast,” Pittman said. 

The first investigation began in the fall following letters written to the University by parents of current and former players on the team. In one of the letters sent in September, which was reviewed by The Daily, parents alleged that “Flacks clearly does not believe in any ‘positive coaching’ and has said to the team he doesn’t believe in positive feedback. He does believe in practicing under constant and immense pressure, with only negative or critical feedback, and has demonstrated limited patience for any behaviors other than strict obedience to his authoritarian practices.” 

In a statement to the San Francisco Chronicle, a University spokesperson said that Flacks received a letter at the conclusion of the investigation, which “did not substantiate the claims that were raised” in the initial investigation.

The second investigation into alleged retaliation against players for sparking the first investigation came amid a wave of athletic staff turnover across sports departments. Just two weeks after the close of the first investigation, former athletic director Bernard Muir resigned. One month later, former head football coach Troy Taylor was fired due to an investigation into his bullying of female athletic staffers. 

Another participant in the investigation who chose to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation raised questions about the independence of the investigators hired for both investigations. The initial abuse investigation was conducted by a law school friend of Stanford’s Deputy General Counsel. The ongoing investigation is being conducted a former attorney at Stanford’s Office of the General Counsel until 2024.

“It is difficult to think of an independent investigator that could be less independent than one who was a senior internal lawyer in Stanford’s Office of General Counsel until last year and worked for Stanford for five of the last 10 years,” the investigation participant said.

According to a parent letter written to the University, Flacks allegedly obtained confidential information from the first investigation’s reports, including information about which players took part in the first investigation. These players were promised confidentiality by the University.

The University and Flacks’ attorney denied this claim. In a statement to The Daily, the University wrote  that they “did not provide a copy of the report” to Flacks.

In a letter to the University used in the first investigation, parents also accused Flacks instructing the players to take the 2023 Anonymous Annual Survey, where athletes provide feedback on their athletic experience, in the presence of the coach. The letter further alleged that players were warned not to give negative feedback and were told to conduct the survey with Flacks in the room. 

A source close to Flacks who chose to remain anonymous due to the ongoing investigation called the claim “absolutely false.”

“In at least one [call with a parent], Coach Flacks represented that the Athletic Director told him his job was secure as long as the student-athletes were happy [sic]. To assure the parents that the student-athletes were happy, Coach Flacks further represented that the most recent Annual Survey of feedback from the student-athletes was the best one in 22 years,” a parent of a player wrote in a letter to the University. 

In an email to a parent reviewed by The Daily, Stanford’s assistant vice president for employee and labor relations Phung Truong wrote that she did not believe the survey would be conducted in 2024.

At least one player removed himself from the team due to the alleged hostile environment created by Flacks, according to March 30 letters to University administration and athletic directors that have been reviewed by The Daily. The University denied comment on this matter, citing the ongoing investigation.

“How many more need to be driven out, silenced, or retaliated against before Stanford takes action? These high achieving student-athletes deserve better. It’s time to acknowledge the hiring mistake — no one gets it right 100% of the time. It’s time for real accountability and leadership that reflects the values of Stanford: integrity, experience, and respect. These student-athletes deserve a coach who meets the highest standard — not one who undermines their well-being,” one of the investigation participants wrote in an email to The Daily.

Players and their families are still participating in interviews for the ongoing investigation.

This article has been updated to reflect that in addition to the student letters of support, 30 parents of players also signed a letter of support for Flacks.

This article has been updated to better reflect the content and the dates of the letters sent by parents to the University, as well as the timeline of the University’s second investigation. It has also been updated to include the timing of the Anonymous Annual Survey and to better reflect the information allegedly distributed regarding the initial investigation.

GENEVA, OHIO – The #20 Rowan Women’s Track & Field team finished day one of the 2025 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

UPDATED RESULTS

Nyla Jones qualified for the 400 meter hurdles finals after the freshman placed ninth (1:02.36) in the preliminaries.

Izzy Deal was 12th in the javelin with a top mark of 38.92 meters.

Other action on Thursday saw the 4×400 relay disqualified in the prelims.

On Friday, Deal will be back at it as the graduate student competes in the shot put.

 

 

Hope College’s Liam Danitz will sprint after a national title for the second time this track and field season.

The junior from West Branch, Michigan (Ogemaw Heights HS) qualified for the 200-meter finals at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio, near Cleveland, on Thursday.

Danitz crossed the finish line in 21.19 seconds during prelims to finish second in his heat and fourth overall.

The fastest nine of 22 entrants qualified for the championship race on Saturday, May 24, at 3:40 p.m.

Defending national champion Sam Blakowski topped the field during prelims. The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse senior recorded a time of 20.93 seconds.

Saint Johns University (Minnesota) senior Kevin Arthur was the second-fastest at 21.07. Rowan University (New Jersey) freshman Rajahn Dixon was third at 21.13.

Danitz, a two-sport athlete who is also a starting defensive end on the Flying Dutchmen football team, seeks his second All-America honor on the track and field season.

In March, Danitz claimed All-America First Team accolades with a fifth-place effort at the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships in Rochester, New York.

GENEVA, OH (May 22, 2025) — On Thursday afternoon, King’s College junior thrower Brandy Varner competed in the discus throw at the 2025 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships hosted by the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, OH.

Varner posted a throw of 38.53 meters on her first attempt to finish in the top 20 in the event. Augustana’s Charlotte Frere finished as the National Champion with a mark of 48.35 meters.

Varner was the first King’s National Qualifier since Justin Le Cadre reached the championship meet during the indoor season in 2021-22 in the men’s shot put and the first women’s qualifier since Cayle Spencer made the championship meet in the javelin throw in 2019. Varner represents the program’s 12th National Qualifier appearance and seventh individual since the program began varsity competition in 2015-16.

–MONARCHS–

Mizzou Volleyball will face women’s volleyball powerhouse Stanford this fall in Columbia on ESPN, the team announced Thursday.

The match will take place Tuesday, Sep. 9 and be broadcast to a national audience as part of the brand new ‘Showdown at the Net’ challenge between the SEC and ACC. No time has been announce yet for the match.

The Tigers’ match was unveiled by ESPN as part of the wider announcement of the series and will be one of the showdown’s three matches broadcast on national television.

Mizzou is coming off one of the best seasons in program history, going 22-9 and reaching the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2017.

Dawn Sullivan and the Tigers return several notable players from that squad, including SEC Libero of the Year and Honorable Mention All-American Maya Sands and All-SEC Second Team setter Marina Crownover. The team also had one of the best transfer portal classes in the country, bringing in Tyrah Ariail from USC at middle blocker and Honorable Mention All-American Caylen Alexander at outside hitter from Hawai’i.

Reaching the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament was a remarkable turnaround for the program, which went 9-19 with a 2-16 SEC record the year prior to Sullivan’s arrival. The 2023 SEC Coach of the Year has quickly returned Mizzou to prominence, allowing for the team to garner the rare spotlight of a nationally televised match.

The Tigers are expected to be ranked in the preseason top 25 poll, and could possibly find themselves as high as the top 15. Meanwhile, Stanford will likely be ranked in the top 10 entering this season.

The Cardinal reached the Elite Eight last season before falling to national finalist Louisville. They are a member of the sport’s elite with nine national titles and 23 appearances in the Final Four, both of those most recently coming in 2019.

Stanford has reached the Elite Eight each of the past three seasons and returns multiple key players, including First Team All-American Ella Rubin at outside hitter.

This match has the potential to become the highest-ranked contest Mizzou Volleyball has played at the Hearnes Center in years and will come with great expectations given the national audience that will watch these teams battle it out.

No matter the outcome, one thing is clear: Dawn Sullivan and the Tigers have cemented themselves back on the national stage.