(U-WIRE) MILWAUKEE — On May 29, former Marquette head cross country and track coach Dave Uhrich was informed that one of his top track runners had qualified to compete in the 2006-07 NCAA Championship meet.
Then, on June 11, just four days after she placed 23rd at the NCAA Track & Field Championships, Michaela Courtney said she filed a formal complaint with Marquette University. Courtney, a 2007 Marquette graduate and a former Golden Eagles cross country and track runner under Uhrich, said she reported Uhrich for allegedly requesting that she come back to his hotel room after the meet — a request she said she considered inappropriate.
When the Tribune requested to view a copy of the complaint Director of University Communication Brigid O’Brien Miller said in an e-mail that it is University policy not to discuss or comment on any complaint, in deference to the parties involved. She also said it is not University policy to confirm whether such a complaint has been filed. In an instance in which a complaint is filed with the University, it is not a public document.
Courtney confirmed the allegations in a phone interview.
“It was sexual harassment,” said Courtney, when asked about the alleged incident.
Courtney, 23, confirmed that she and Uhrich went out for drinks while in Sacramento, Calif., for Nationals. Courtney confirmed that on June 7, Uhrich allegedly asked her to come back to his hotel room, a request that she declined. After she left, Courtney confirmed that Uhrich allegedly approached her hotel room while she was in it.
“The drinking part was true,” Uhrich said in a phone interview. “She has graduated, and that was a mistake on my part. The rest was a misinterpretation. That’s not who I am and that’s not what I’m all about. The knocking on the door was to apologize that she had gotten the wrong impression.”
After returning to Milwaukee, Courtney said she filed the official complaint.
“They told me they took the complaint seriously and thanked me for coming forward,” Courtney said of the University’s reaction. “There wasn’t any more contact between Uhrich and I after that.”
“I had qualified for the USA Track & Field Nationals two weeks after that, where I went alone because I didn’t have a coach at that point. The University then notified me when Uhrich decided to resign, and that was it.”
When asked if he was aware that Courtney said she had filed a complaint with the University, Uhrich said, “No, I wasn’t aware of that.” When the Tribune asked him to confirm he was unaware, Uhrich said, “I guess I have no comment.”
Courtney’s stance against Uhrich was not shared by all of her teammates at the time according to Courtney. She said she is no longer on speaking terms with now-senior captain Cassie Peller.
“They (the Marquette Athletic Department) told us to move forward, to say that this was best for the team, which was the truth,” Peller said of the previous report that Uhrich stepped down for personal reasons.
Courtney also confirmed that another former Marquette runner stepped forward to the university after Courtney said she filed her complaint.
When asked about the complaint from the other former runner, Uhrich said: “Same situation: inappropriate drinking.” Neither Courtney nor Uhrich would name the other former runner who was said to have stepped forward.
When asked about the incident regarding Courtney and Uhrich, as well as the formal complaint, Mike Broeker, deputy athletics director said: “I am not quite sure of the incident you speak of. But what I will say about Uhrich is that we don’t discuss personal matters.”
The departure of their former coach has not deterred some team members from continuing to speak with him. Several of the team’s upperclassmen, including Peller, still remain in contact with Uhrich.
“The whole thing was an unfortunate situation for everyone, but I don’t have any hard feelings,” Courtney said. “It’s over, and I don’t hold grudges.”