Report: Ole Miss softball coaches facing Title IX allegations over improper relationship

Two coaches in the Ole Miss softball program are under investigation for Title IX violations, concerning an alleged inappropriate relationship.

Running Poles, a podcast and website dedicated to softball, first reported the investigation after obtaining a letter sent to Ole Miss Athletic Director Keith Carter describing a relationship between assistant coach Katie Rietkovich Browder and an athlete on the team. More than a dozen people confirmed the probe to Running Poles.

The athlete on the team was dating another member of the team.

According to the letter, after the relationship was discovered, head coach Jamie Trachsel got involved and allegedly had a hand in trying to cover up the relationship, by attempting to bribe both players with scholarship money.

One of the players took screenshots of text messages between her girlfriend and the assistant coach, printed the screenshots and then taped them to the coach’s office computer.

"The university does not confirm or comment on Title IX reviews," an Ole Miss spokesperson told USA TODAY Sports.

This isn't the first time the Ole Miss softball has been under scrutiny.

Former Ole Miss head coach Mike Smith quit in December 2019 after being placed on administrative leave so the school could conduct a "non-financial, external audit" of the program.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ole Miss softball coaches facing investigation over sexual misconduct