Since 2016, Columbia has turned itself into one of the best schools in the Ivy League with NCAA tournament at-large bids, the first victory in school history in the NCAA, and a WBIT championship. That change came when Megan Griffith returned to her alma mater at the helm of their women’s basketball team. Division I basketball is tough, though, and expecting excellence is the standard for the Lions.

However, there is a thin line standing between setting an expectation and forgetting what healthy coaching is like. Reportedly, Griffith has often found herself on the wrong side.

In September, a student-athlete reported her misconduct to the school, which eventually led to her suspension for the first three games of the season. That punishment, however, was not enough. So, while the Lions are currently holding strong on a challenging schedule and would want Griffith around, a group of former players has raised its voice once again.

A group of 15 ex-student-athletes is questioning the way Griffith has run the program this past decade. The former athletes provided an anonymous statement to The Athletic, citing retaliation concerns, and called for more substantial disciplinary measures than the three-game suspension.

“Our firsthand experiences cite serious concerns about a culture of emotional and psychological abuse, the mistreatment of injured players, and the utter disregard for athletes’ mental health,” the group said. “These failures demand meaningful accountability, not a token disciplinary measure.”

“Given the breadth and seriousness of our experiences, and documented reports of alleged abuse reaching Columbia Athletics administrators as far back as 2019, we believe this disciplinary action falls far short of meaningful accountability.”

The University took an action, but the former players have a different account of the process

After a former athlete filed a complaint with the university in September, the school was forced to take action. They hired an external law firm, Dunn Isaacson Rhee LLP, which conducted the initial review that led to Griffith’s previous suspension.

A University official also told Spectator that Danielle Conley led the investigation, in which his team spoke to at least 50 individuals associated with the program, including former players. However, the latter has a different account.

In Thursday’s statement, the group of former players was concerned about the “lack of transparency surrounding … findings and conclusions” of the external investigation. In fact, many of them also revealed that they never heard from any of the investigators in September.

The statement went on to exclude the athletes on the team themselves, while targeting only Coach Griffith, who is also the winningest coach in Columbia women’s basketball history. But making the case hard are the current players who understandably stand by their coach.

Griffith understands her missteps, but her current players stand by her

On her part, Griffith has acknowledged the missteps she has possibly made and has shown diligence in the university’s procedure in this issue’s handling.

“I fully respect the process of the University review and take complete responsibility for everything that happens in the program, including the times my conduct fell short. As the Head Coach and a former student-athlete at Columbia University, there is nothing more important to me than the success and well-being of my players.”

It is worth noting that associate head coach Tyler Cordell took over as the interim head coach in the games Griffith missed. However, despite her suspension, she continued coaching during practice, running film sessions, and attending other team activities.

Her players also supported Griffith.

“(Griffith and the coaching staff) love us so much. Yes, they push us, we push each other, but they love us so much,” Lions captain Fliss Henderson said after Thursday night’s loss to the Michigan Wolverines. “I think having her back today, we felt that love the entire time.

“Division I basketball is hard. Putting it out there. But you’re in the game, it’s tough. We’re fighting all 14 of us. But we feel the love from them the whole time.”

While the former players understand their stance, they also do not agree with the short-term disciplinary action taken against Griffith.

“We recognize the emotional complexity and conflicting loyalties this environment creates, and fully respect the current players’ supporting their coaches,” the statement further reads. “The allegations raised about the program should not reflect negatively on the talented young women who are part of it. We are asking the community to stand behind the players.”

The Columbia head coach views her suspension from a different lens, handing Cordell the flowers

Moving ahead, the University noted that the head coach will be getting additional coaching mentorship and oversight. But it seems Griffith has looked at this time away from the sidelines as a positive step for building her team’s capabilities.

“What a unique experience this has been. The biggest benefit was, I think, bringing my staff into how I game plan and think about the game, bringing our players more deeply into it,” Griffith said before returning. “It’s a great opportunity to learn in a different way, and I think our team and my staff did a phenomenal job of stepping up and battling together.”

Meanwhile, the spokesperson from the university has also released a statement on this issue, guaranteeing an “inclusive and supportive environment” for women’s basketball and other sports programs under the institution’s purview.

In a statement to The Athletic, university administration confirmed the internal review did not trigger NCAA compliance reporting protocols, nor did the inquiry encompass Title IX or institutional anti-discrimination policy violations.

Griffith seemed happy with Cordell’s performance.

“Yeah, she should just take my job,” Griffith said, via a video call with reporters. “What I loved about it was how she just jumped right into it.

“I think Ty really understood the game-planning aspect from my standpoint and how I think about it, and she put her spin on it. Which, for her, is so easy because she built the program with me.”

While Griffith’s coaching methods may be questionable, the results she has achieved for the program are certainly not.

Megan Griffith Has Made Columbia A Successful Program

Megan Griffith initially competed at Columbia from 2003 to 2007 and earned All-Ivy League honors twice along the way. Following a professional playing stint in Europe, she transitioned to coaching as an assistant under Courtney Banghart at Princeton. During Griffith’s tenure on the staff, the Tigers secured three NCAA Tournament appearances.

Griffith returned to Columbia as head coach following four years on the Princeton staff, eventually accumulating the most victories of any coach in Columbia history.

Under Griffith, Columbia has established consistent success within the mid-major tier.

Over the past five seasons, the Lions hold a 125-35 record, securing three Ivy League regular-season titles and two at-large NCAA Tournament bids. The program’s postseason results during this span include a WNIT runner-up finish in 2023, a WBIT championship last season, and an NCAA Tournament victory over Washington in the 2025 First Four.

The recent NCAA Tournament appearances and corresponding victory, along with the WBIT championship, all mark program firsts for Columbia. They also received a $10 million donation, another first for the program. Under Griffith, the Lions have developed a reputation that attracts non-conference matchups against Power 4 opponents and national contenders, as major programs now view Columbia as a quality opponent for early-season evaluations.

So while the program continues its successful run on the court, only time will tell how this issue surrounding player complaints gets resolved. The Lions are 3-0 in the three games Griffith has missed this season, but lost 81-58 to the Michigan Wolverines on Thursday. They take on the Maryland Terrapins in their next game.