In a short press release announcing Jacques Curtis’ sudden retirement and Lou Hamilton’s appointment as interim head coach of the Shaw University women’s basketball program, the university did not address the alleged reasons behind Curtis’ resignation or the recent allegations surrounding the program. Instead, it highlighted his career achievements, including 400 wins, nine CIAA titles, 11 NCAA tournament appearances, and a Division II National Championship.
As HBCU Gameday reports, in April 2025, Kiara Shepherd, a senior guard, posted a video to her TikTok account that contained allegations of inappropriate behavior directed toward the student-athletes Curtis was supposed to be teaching and coaching.
Shepherd also indicated in her video that she had filed a complaint with the Raleigh, North Carolina-based university earlier in the year. As is often the case when a whistleblower comes forward, her allegations inspired other athletes to come forward about their experiences under Curtis’ tenure.
“I just want to let y’all know I’m not trying to bash anybody,” Shepherd said in her video. “I’m not trying to ruin nobody’s career. I’m just saying exactly what happened.”
She continued, “All I’m just trying to do is bring awareness. I’ve already went to the school, I’ve already went to HR. I’ve already tried to pinpoint and get in contact with who I need to contact. School’s not doing nothing about it. I have no choice but to bring it on social media, which I did not want to do.”“It’s been really hard to just kind of focus and just do my schoolwork, but it’s just like this has been pounding in the back of my mind. And everybody is just like, well, just let it go … I just wish that …I can’t. I can’t,” Shepherd explained.
Alliyah Chaplin, a guard who played for the university during the 2023-2024 season, is one of the former players who came forward with similar accounts of abuse and inappropriate behavior while the program was under the direction of Curtis.
In addition, the two players have informed various media outlets that they have been in contact with players who have played for the team since as far back as 2013, who have described similar situations
.“I experienced a man who takes advantage of his position and he has people behind him,” Chaplin told CBS 17. “I want [the school] to look into it. I want them to do something about it because we can’t keep going through that.”
She continued, ”There is no reason why the same thing is being said over and over again, year after year, with the same, with different teams. The roster is almost clear every single year. Everybody is leaving. Everybody is transferring.”
Although the school has acknowledged an impending meeting with Shepherd, which is only officially to address her concerns, it also noted in a statement on its website that “Shaw University is aware of recent allegations that have surfaced online. The university takes any allegations of misconduct seriously. The university has no further comment at this time.”
Frantaisa Springs, who was an equipment manager with the team during the 2018-2019 season, indicated to ABC 11 that abuse thrives in silence.
“I just witnessed like, emotional abuse, yelling for no reason, and just like mistreatment.”
Springs, who had not previously come forward, was motivated by others sharing their experiences, recalled. “I’m glad everybody’s speaking up about it because if you’re not going to speak out about it, it’s just going to keep going on and on and on.”Yet another former player, who asked ABC 11 to remain anonymous, remarked to the outlet off-camera that the abuse in the program goes back to at least 2005.
“I was surprised different players are now coming out from previous years all the way from 2005 to (2007),” per the alum’s comments to the outlet, they know of at least 11 former players who have described conduct similar to Shepherd and the others. That alum is now assisting with the legal process. The alum is “shocked” and “stunned” by the way it has played out so far.
Back in 2006, Dolmesha Stallings, a former assistant coach under Curtis, filed a complaint with Shaw University and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), stating to WBAL News that he sexually harassed her from the time she started working in that position in June 2003.
“There was some physical, but it was more so just verbal, lots of inappropriate language, lots of inappropriate telling of jokes — sexual nature…I’d give back the championship ring just to take this year back,” Stallings said.
“He’s a married man. I have a fiancé. I told him, ‘You’re my supervisor. Don’t mix business with pleasure, and you know you’re making me uncomfortable,” she recalled.
She continued, “There are numerous women who have come to me and commended me for stepping up and having the courage to say something where they weren’t able to, so I know there are others.”
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