Colgate University failed to protect players from ‘abusive’ lacrosse coach, athlete claims
Colgate University Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Abuse by Former Women’s Lacrosse Coach
A 23‑year‑old former player, Amelia Cunningham, has filed a lawsuit in the Manhattan Supreme Court that accuses Colgate University of failing to protect its women’s lacrosse team from what she describes as an abusive coach, Kathy Taylor. The suit claims that Taylor repeatedly demanded that players continue competing while injured or ill, creating an environment that Cunningham says was “toxic.”
Cunningham, who earned a $43,500 athletic scholarship to the upstate New York school in 2019 after a standout high‑school career at Rye High, says her experience on the team shattered her dream of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. She alleges that she was forced to play through a damaged wrist, a bout of bronchitis, and an Epstein–Barr virus infection, among other health problems. The lawsuit argues that Taylor treated injuries as moral failings and discouraged Cunningham from seeking timely medical care.
The lawsuit further claims that at least 20 players left the program during Taylor’s five‑year tenure, and that three athletes were believed to have attempted suicide. Cunningham says she herself attempted suicide in 2022 and survived. She also reports being diagnosed with major depressive disorder and trauma‑related disorders that stemmed from her time on the team.
According to the complaint, Colgate’s investigation of the coach’s conduct was “inadequate” and ultimately cleared Taylor, who stepped down in 2024. Cunningham’s attorney, Carolin Guentert, stresses that the university had a duty to safeguard its students and that the allegations have had a profound impact on her client.
Colgate, which counts filmmaker John Cassavetes and journalist Andy Rooney among its alumni, has not issued a statement regarding the filing, and attempts to reach Karen Taylor have been unsuccessful.
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