The women’s soccer head coach of the University of Texas Permian Basin has been put on administrative leave amid disturbing allegations made by an anonymous group of players that accuse her of kissing students and asking players to pay her bail after a DWI arrest.
28-Year-Old Carla Tejas was arrested on September 11th on DWI charges after a traffic stop. Following that arrest, members of the soccer team sent a letter to the university, NCAA and Lone Star conference officials, KMID reported. The students were worried the school would “sweep her arrest under the rug.”
The students sent a 1,154-word letter alleging things ranging from illegal activity to NCAA infractions to inappropriate conduct. The players said they chose to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation.
The letter said the first-year head coach’s behavior contributed to some students experiencing mental distress and commiting self-harm. Some of the allegations against Tejas include her asking players to pay her bail after her Sept. 11 arrest, kissing members of the men’s soccer team, providing alcohol to players, and encouraging her players to injure opponents.
Kayler Smith, the sports director of KMID’s ABC Big 2 Sports, summarized some of the allegations made by players in a series of tweets.
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Players also said that Tejas once re-entered a game that she was ejected from in disguise and continued to coach while using a walkie-talkie.
She was allowed to continue coaching following her arrest as neither the university nor the NCAA have a DUI policy, according to KMID.
One student, who played under Tejas at Belhaven University, told KMID Tejas made her consider taking her own life. Another said she has attempted to commit suicide.
“She’s telling me everybody hates me and nobody wants me on the team and this had been after a few months of abuse from Carla. That was the tipping point with a lot of other things that had gone on mainly from Carla and Kimberly Harrell that led to me attempting suicide that day,” former Belhaven soccer player Nolyn Murphy said.
Tejas is in her first season with the women’s soccer team at Permian Basin. She previously coached at Louisiana Christian College.
