Former player calls Ole Miss WBB team's hiring of Quentin Hillsman 'sickening'

Ole Miss announced the hire of a new assistant women’s basketball coach on Wednesday, former Syracuse coach Quentin Hillsman. It was a move that immediately drew some backlash on social media and beyond.

The Athletic quotes one of Hillsman’s former players as saying “so sickening” in a text message responding to the hire.

Why?

Hillsman resigned from his post at Syracuse in 2021 following an internal investigation amid allegations of mistreatment that included frequent vulgarity, threatening language, unwanted physical contact and a general culture that caused at least three players to experience suicidal thoughts.

The Athletic’s Chantel Jennings, who was one of the investigative reporters to cover Quentin Hillsman’s split from Syracuse, penned a column on the hire, essentially questioning why Ole Miss felt such a hire was OK given the message it sends to young women.

“The hiring by Ole Miss isn’t just damaging and dismissive to those women and others who experienced this treatment under Hillsman at Syracuse,” Jennings wrote. “It’s damaging to all the players at other institutions who haven’t yet come forward, or the ones who’ve considered coming forward and thought instead, ‘What’s the point?’

“It’s damaging to the players who will think they shouldn’t speak up because a university and coach will prioritize wins over mental and physical health no matter how much they preach about core values. Those players hear the consistent drumbeat that when women and athletes, no matter how often and how many, step forward to share their stories, they’ll be silenced. They hear: Your story doesn’t matter.”

Ole Miss announced the hire with a simple press release and a tweet.

Head coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin referred to that press release when questioned on the hire by The Athletic.

“I am very pleased to be able to hire a coach with the pedigree and experience of Quentin Hillsman,” McPhee-McCuin said in the press release. “He is an excellent teacher of the game and also a strong recruiter at both the national and international levels. I have known Quentin for over 20 years, and I am confident that he will be a tremendous addition to my coaching staff. We look forward to him and his family joining us at Ole Miss.”