LOCAL NEWS

BYU athletic director condemns racism at women’s volleyball game

Aug 29, 2022, 8:34 PM

PROVO, Utah — Students returned to BYU for the first day of class Monday, amid fallout over what school officials call racism at a women’s volleyball game against Duke University.

BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe told KSL there is “zero tolerance for racism,” adding that new procedures would be put in place to help prevent a repeat of what happened at the Smith Fieldhouse.

On Friday, the BYU women’s volleyball team played Duke University with a packed house. During the game, Duke player Rachel Richardson said someone repeatedly shouted racial slurs at her and her Black teammates.

She said those slurs ultimately turned into threats that made her feel unsafe. In a social media post over the weekend, she accused officials of not responding quickly enough.

Holmoe met with Richardson the day after the game. He took responsibility and apologized for what happened and called on BYU students and the BYU community to do better.

“We have to root out racism,” Holmoe said. “We’re on the same page. We’re fighting the same fight with Duke.”

Holmoe said he felt BYU has been characterized unfairly. He said he felt they responded in a timely manner after receiving the report of racism and brought in staff to help protect Duke’s students. He said the challenge was they didn’t know who the offender was.

“There’s a lot of blame that’s being thrown around in a lot of places. But the fact is, we got to get better and we will.”

BYU later said Duke had identified the offender as someone who was not a BYU student but was sitting in the student section during the game. BYU has banned the person from all athletic venues.

BYU Bans Fan Following Racist Allegations During Volleyball Match

The incident and subsequent headlines and reaction on social media overshadowed some of the excitement of the first day of the Fall semester.

“BYU seems to keep getting in the headlines for the wrong reasons,” said Alex Nibley, a senior at BYU.

Nibley said her professor brought it up in class that morning and told the students if they found themselves next to someone who was shouting racial slurs, they needed to act to stop it.

“I really hope that it’s some kind of wake-up call,” Nibley said.

“There’s a certain amount of smack talk — I do it myself — but there’s a line you cannot cross and he obviously crossed that line,” said Evan Smith, a junior and a player on the BYU men’s soccer team.

But Smith also said he felt like BYU was getting too much of the blame since the offender was not a student.

McKay Knoll, a sophomore, said he was at the volleyball game with his family. He said he didn’t know what happened until after the game.

“I hope that that player for Duke feels that that is not an accurate reflection of what all BYU students are thinking and feeling,” he said. “I hope that there is now a sense of awareness that these things may be happening so what can we do more in the moment to respond?”

Holmoe did not detail plans for specific new procedures to help prevent future incidents. He appealed to the BYU community’s Christian faith to call on them to root out racism.

“Here at BYU, we call ourselves disciples of Christ. And we got to be able to live and love like the Savior. And if that’s our message, then we got to be able to do that first and foremost in our athletic department, on our campus, and in our community.”

KSL 5 TV Live

Local News

Matt Gephardt working with Bona Rose on the CarChex documents....

Matt Gephardt and Sloan Schrage, KSL TV

Get Gephardt: West Valley woman says her extended car warranty claim was denied unfairly

Many drivers buy an extended auto warranty to cover unexpected repair bills. But when a West Valley City woman turned to her warranty provider for major help on her car's transmission, they turned her down - repeatedly.

9 hours ago

Moments before a Salt Lake City woman is hit by a white car in the Avenues....

Eric Cabrera, KSL NewsRadio, Garna Mejia and Michael Houck, KSL TV

Doorbell camera captures another hit-and-run in Salt Lake City

New doorbell camera shows bystanders rushing to save a woman who may be another victim of an alleged serial hit-and-runner.

9 hours ago

A view of the West Temple and 200 South intersection in Salt Lake City....

Michael Houck

A major downtown Salt Lake City intersection will close from April to May

Starting April 1, the West Temple and 200 South intersection will be closed as crews replace natural gas lines.

10 hours ago

Researchers gathered in a Weber State University room for a Air Quality Summit....

Mike Anderson

Air Quality Summit puts focus on Utah air pollution and solutions

Many of the researchers who study Utah's air pollution problems are sharing what they've found while working to find solutions during Thursday's Air Quality Summit.

12 hours ago

Keith Stebbings (right) confronting Loren Richardson (left) after Richardson allegedly entered his ...

Shelby Lofton

‘He wasn’t intending to hurt anybody’: Brighton homeowner attorney says snowboarder confrontation was a misunderstanding

The Brighton man armed with a gun while confronting a snowboarder in a viral video is now facing criminal charges. But his attorney says he had the right to protect his property.

12 hours ago

Follow @KSL5TVLike us on Facebook...

Eliza Pace

VIDEO: Watch the moment a UHP trooper stops a 12-year-old driving on the freeway

Utah Highway Patrol responded to a call of a reckless driver. They didn't know until after they stopped the car that it was a 12-year-old driver.

13 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

BYU athletic director condemns racism at women’s volleyball game