Women’s basketball coach suspended after player claims he sexually harassed her all season

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The captain of FIU women’s basketball team, junior guard Destini Feagin, says her coach has been sexually harassing her all season.  Marlon Chinn, a former assistant coach at University of Maryland, has been suspended while the university investigates the claims.

Feagin says she was initially suspended from four games after “violating team rules” when she used a teammate’s food card. The unusually long punishment, she said, was because she refused to have sex with Coach Chinn.

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In an interview with the Miami Herald,  Feagin details uncomfortable interactions with the 45-year-old coach.

“I noticed he had a sexual attraction for me when he started saying perverted things to me,’’ she said. “Commenting on my looks, my body, frame, my breasts, my behind. The way I smile. He would go into detail what his sexual thoughts were.”

“He didn’t come out and say what his intentions were at first, but he gave me hints,” she continued. “He said little things that alerted me. Then, he came out and told me how he felt about me.”

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Feagin showed The Miami Herald screenshots of text messages from a contact labeled, “Coach Chinn.”  One message read:

“I want you to have so much more to offer ANYONE that wants to be a part of u after they get pass how good ur face and body looks!!!”

The Miami Herald also reports that Feagin played a recorded phone conversation with Chinn, in which he says to her:

“When you decide that we lay down together, I want you to want it more than I do. And I’m not going to force you to do that. But that’s how I’ve always been. I’m not going to push you.”

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Feagin noted that she may have unknowingly participated in a possible NCAA violation when Chinn allegedly loaned her $600 and suggested she could pay him back by sleeping with him.

The university released this statement:

“FIU is conducting an investigation into allegations made against coach Marlin Chinn. Based on the allegations, the university has suspended coach Chinn, pending the outcome of the investigation. Because this is an ongoing investigation, the university will not provide additional comments at this time.”

A day after Feagin made the harassment charges, she was removed from the team’s senior night ceremony.  Chinn has not responded publicly to allegations, citing university policy.