HBCU facing accusations of improper behavior by ex-players

An HBCU women’s basketball program is facing serious allegations after multiple former players spoke out online. Shaw University senior guard Kiara Shepherd, a member of the Lady Bears program, posted a TikTok video earlier this week describing mental, physical, and inappropriate behavior she says she endured while at the HBCU. Her video quickly went viral, attracting comments from other former Shaw players who claimed to have had similar experiences.

Shepherd, who has nearly 82,000 TikTok followers, said she decided to speak out publicly after filing a complaint with the Raleigh-NC, based HBCU in February and receiving no response. “All I’m trying to do is bring awareness,” Shepherd said in the video. “The school’s not doing nothing about it. So, I really had no choice but bring it onto social media, which I really didn’t want to do.”

In the video, Shepherd also described feeling uncomfortable after an inappropriate encounter with a man affiliated with the Shaw University women’s basketball team. Shepherd was removed from the team shortly after and made her last game appearance on February 17 against Virginia Union.

On Thursday, WRAL News reported that Shepherd plans to meet with Shaw officials to discuss her concerns. Former Lady Bears player Alliyah Chaplin also spoke to WRAL News, detailing her own experiences of verbal abuse and inappropriate behavior during her time at the HBCU in the 2023-24 season. Chaplin said she never felt confident that filing a formal complaint would lead to change.

Both Shepherd and Chaplin stated they have since connected with former Shaw players dating back to 2013 who allege they faced similar treatment. The growing number of voices has raised serious concerns about the culture surrounding the HBCU’s women’s basketball program.

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