Former Harvard Women's Hockey Coach Sues University Over Forced Exit
Former Harvard women’s hockey coach Katey Stone has filed a lawsuit against Harvard University, alleging sex discrimination and wrongful termination. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, comes after Stone's abrupt exit last year amid allegations of a toxic culture within her program.
Stone, who led Harvard to numerous championships and even coached the U.S. Olympic team to a silver medal in Sochi, claims that her forced retirement was the result of false allegations and a broader culture of discrimination against female coaches at Harvard. The lawsuit contends that female coaches at the university are undervalued, underpaid, and held to far more stringent standards than their male counterparts.
According to the complaint, Harvard's decision to push Stone out was based on media reports and internal investigations that accused her of fostering a hostile environment, including alleged hazing incidents. However, Stone argues that she was unfairly targeted, noting that male coaches at the university have been treated differently in similar circumstances. She claims that Harvard has often separated male coaches from their players' inappropriate conduct and overlooked allegations of abusive behavior, while she was held accountable for actions she did not witness or condone.
“Where female coaches, such as Coach Stone, are expected to be nurturing toward their female players and coach with compassion and sensitivity, male coaches are allowed to be ‘tough’ and hold their male players accountable for their actions, level of play, and effort,” the complaint states. “Defendant Harvard has granted some male coaches a free pass to coach, motivate, and speak to Defendant Harvard’s male student athletes as the male coaches see fit.”
Stone's complaint also highlights a significant pay disparity between her and her male colleagues, which she says persisted for years before it was finally addressed without compensation for the lost time.
The legal proceedings come after a period of intense scrutiny of Harvard’s athletic programs. Claudine Gay, a key figure in the investigations into Stone, recently resigned as Harvard’s president amid plagiarism allegations and controversy over her response to antisemitism on campus.
Harvard has yet to comment on the lawsuit. When Stone retired in June 2023, the university’s announcement framed it as her decision and omitted any mention of the allegations against her. Athletic director Erin McDermott even praised Stone for her contributions to the program. However, Stone asserts that her retirement was not voluntary, claiming the university gave her an ultimatum to resign or be fired.
