Snapchat video shows college lacrosse team chanting n-word

Mar 27, 2018

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Virginia Tech sent out apologies Tuesday after video circulated of its women’s lacrosse team belting out n-word laced lyrics of a Chris Brown and Lil Dicky rap song.

The racially explosive, 13-second video was recorded on the team bus and sent out via Snapchat, the New York Daily News reported.

In a statement, coach John Sung said a team member posted the video of the singalong of sorrow after a Saturday game. The athletics department administration and coaches at the school based in Blacksburg, Va., have had a chat with team members, he said in the statement.

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“We are engaged in conversations with the campus community to share our sincerest apology,” the statement read. “We have confidence that the team will learn from this mistake and understand that these actions reflect poorly on our program and do not represent the values of our program or the principles of the university,” the statement continued.

Diversity challenges in lacrosse

Lacrosse has long struggled with issues of diversity.

The Virginia Tech incident is the fifth such skirmish involving a lacrosse team and diversity since December, according to the News.

In January, the n-word was posted from the Instagram account of U.S. national team member Alex Aust. The player apologized and said the posting took place when she did not have her phone with her.

In February, Black and Native American lacrosse players from IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., said they had racist insults tossed at them during a game against Ponte Vedra High School.

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In January, Kyle Harrison, a Black professional lacrosse player with Team STX and with the Ohio Machine, said during a diversity discussion at the Inside Lacrosse Industry Summit that the sport needs to move into modern times.

“We have to coach these kids to be socially aware,” the News quoted Harrison as saying. “I don’t think the kids are racist, but they don’t realize that those comments are not funny.”

Harrison added, “It’s important to understand that’s not acceptable.