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· collected 2026-09-04 · by Chantz Martin
A former University of California, Berkeley softball player has filed a lawsuit against the university and ex-head coach Chelsea Spencer, alleging that Spencer used her position to pressure the player into a sexual relationship in 2023. The complaint states that Spencer contacted the player daily via phone calls and text messages, eventually taking on a romantic tone, and threatened to withhold playing time if the relationship ended. A Cal investigation concluded that Spencer had violated campus policy regarding conflicts of interest in consensual relationships, but the university allowed her to remain as head coach for months after learning of the alleged relationship. The former player is seeking damages for severe emotional distress and claims she was forced to end her collegiate softball career early due to the university's alleged negligence.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-04,
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Story summary
A former University of California, Berkeley softball player, who played for Chelsea Spencer, a now-former head coach, has filed a lawsuit against the university and Coach Spencer alleging sexual misconduct. According to the complaint, filed in Alameda County Superior Court on Aug. 24, Coach Spencer allegedly used her position to pressure the player into a sexual relationship and threatened her playing time if she ended it. The university's athletic department staff learned of the alleged relationship months before June 2022, when Coach Spencer ultimately stepped down after agreeing to a multi-year contract extension, despite a subsequent investigation concluding that she had violated campus policy regarding conflicts of interest in consensual relationships. The lawsuit alleges that the university failed to intervene and allowed Coach Spencer to remain as head coach for four months after learning of the alleged relationship.
Written for “Alleged University Sexual Misconduct …” on 2026-09-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
A former University of California, Berkeley softball player is accusing an ex-head coach of using her position of authority to pressure the player into a sexual relationship and allegedly threatening her playing time if she ended it.
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she → accuse → it
The complaint, filed Aug. 24 in Alameda County Superior Court and obtained by OutKick, alleges Cal failed to intervene and allowed Chelsea Spencer to remain as head coach for months after athletic department staff learned of the alleged relationship.
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staff → file → relationship
Spencer ultimately stepped down last year in June, four months after agreeing to a multi-year contract extension.
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Spencer → step → extension
According to the lawsuit, a subsequent Cal investigation concluded that Spencer had violated campus policy regarding conflicts of interest in consensual relationships.
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Spencer → accord → relationships
The filing does not detail the dates when the probe started or ended.
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probe → detail → dates
It also alleged Spencer was not cooperative in the process.
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Spencer → allege → process
In an email to OutKick on Friday, a Cal spokesperson declined to comment on the lawsuit or the school's investigation into Spencer.
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spokesperson → decline → Spencer
The former softball player retained the services of Slater Slater Schulman law firm.
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player → retain → firm
Gizem Gures, an attorney at the firm, referenced Cal’s reputation and its response to the investigation in a statement to USA Today Sports about the lawsuit.
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Gures → reference → lawsuit
"Berkeley proudly holds itself out as the No. 1 public university in the world.
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Berkeley → hold → world
That reputation comes with a responsibility to protect its students.
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reputation → come → students
As a Cal alum, it is deeply disappointing to see what our client experienced and how the University responded after its own investigation substantiated the conduct.
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investigation → see → conduct
Our client deserved better.
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client → deserve → better
Berkeley's students deserve better.
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students → deserve → better
The University needs to do better," the statement read.
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statement → need → ?
The complaint further alleges that Spencer’s advances toward the former player started in fall 2023, after the unnamed player joined the softball team as an incoming transfer.
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player → allege → transfer
It says Spencer contacted her daily, via phone calls and text messages.
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Spencer → say → calls
Those communications eventually took on a romantic tone.
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communications → take → tone
At one point, Spencer allegedly told the player, "you’re so beautiful" and "your girlfriend is so lucky."
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girlfriend → tell → player
The complaint further alleges that Spencer shared details about her personal life and gave gifts in the form of cash.
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Spencer → allege → cash
Once the player effectively ignored the coach's messages, Spencer allegedly became angry and cut her playing time as punishment, the complaint claims.
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complaint → ignore → punishment
"When Plaintiff did not provide Spencer the attention she demanded, Spencer yelled at Plaintiff, treated her differently, and reduced or withheld Plaintiff's playing opportunities," the complaint states.
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complaint → provide → opportunities
"Plaintiff thus began to recognize, even before the relationship became sexual, that Spencer's personal demands and Spencer's authority as Head Coach were intertwined."
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demands → begin → Coach
The former player argued that Spencer’s conduct and the university’s alleged negligence caused her severe emotional distress and forced her to end her collegiate softball career earlier than she would have otherwise.
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she → argue → career
She is seeking a jury trial and damages for personal injuries and other losses.
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She → seek → injuries
