CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS: Katey Stone, the head coach of Harvard University women’s hockey team reportedly stepped down from her role on June 7 after a 29-year tenure over allegations of causing emotional damage to players with her brutal training methods. Earlier this month, a player compared Stone’s abusive behavior to “mental health Hunger Games,” while several media outlets reported that the program practice an alleged toxic on and off-ice culture.

Some players claimed that they were forced to drink and perform “sexually-charged role-playing” as part of hazing rituals, as per the Boston Globe. Others alleged that players were compelled to do a “Naked Skate” where they were told to dive on the ice in a Superman pose without any clothes. The practice reportedly left skaters with ice burns and bloody nipples, The Athletic reported. The allegations brought Harvard University under major scrutiny, prompting authorities to pledge to overhaul the alleged problematic culture prevalent in the women’s hockey team.

What is known about Katey Stone?

Stone is a 57-year-woman who served as the head coach of the Harvard University women’s hockey team for 29 years before stepping down from her position on June 7 amid a string of accusations about allegedly abusing and hazing the players. Stone was born on April 17, 1966, and served as a Division I women’s ice hockey coach. She attended the Taft School, Watertown, Connecticut, and graduated class of 1984.

The coach was reportedly part of two ECAC championships in 1986 and 1987 and served as a captain and four-year letter-winner in hockey for the New Hampshire Wildcats women’s ice hockey program. As part of her tenure with Harvard Crimson, Stone coached 25 seasons as a head coach, made four national championship appearances, and earned 494 victories. She also became the third coach in women’s college hockey history to win 300 games.

In addition to hockey, Stone was also an established lacrosse player in New Hampshire and part of the team that won the 1985 NCAA title. She reportedly graduated in 1989 with a degree in physical education. Prior to Harvard, Stone coached at Tabor Academy, Northfield Mount Hermon School, and Phillips Exeter Academy. In a 2020 interview published on one of Harvard University’s official YouTube channels, Stone openly spoke about promoting a highly competitive atmosphere among players.

“Coaching gives me the opportunity to stay competitive... [The players] have no idea what they're really capable of and if we continue to challenge them on a daily basis, they accomplish so much more. We now have an opportunity to end team traditions that are harmful to team culture and inconsistent with our community norms,” she said at the time.

As the allegations of abuse and hazing came to light, Stone, who coached the silver medal-winning USA women’s hockey team at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, was not directly named. However, former players alleged that she was aware of the situation and did not take any steps to stop the culture. The institution is reportedly still searching for a replacement head coach following Stone’s resignation.

What did Harvard say about the allegations?

In the wake of Stone’s resignation, Athletic Director Erin McDermott announced that Harvard University has planned to revamp the culture of its women’s hockey team. While the director did not mention any specific allegations in his statement, the institution has already launched an independent inquiry by law firm Jenner & Block earlier this year after the abuse allegations were made public.

Findings of the report are yet to be published despite the New York-based firm saying it planned to finish the investigation by the end of April, as per the Harvard Crimson. In her own statement, McDermott said that they found “procedures and communications with student-athletes have led to confusion and frustration among members of our community, and there are areas where we must improve.”

McDermott also promised that the institution would take new initiatives that would include annual reminders about how to report improper conduct, instructions on access to mental health services, and a new leadership program. “This program will support our collective focus on updating team traditions to align with our values and will help us move forward positively as a community,” the director mentioned. She also claimed that the current team “has not fostered a culture of hazing” but said that the school can do better.

“However, it is clear that some traditions in recent years were experienced differently by different people and not all were comfortable with those activities or with expressing concerns relating to the program,” McDermott stated. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Harvard said that a full investigation report may never be publicized.

“Individuals who participated in the review were promised anonymity throughout the process,” the statement mentioned.

“Releasing detailed information or documents that were received and reviewed during this work could jeopardize the privacy of those who participated,” it further added. Reports suggest that the women’s hockey program’s retention rate is one of the lowest at Harvard, with only 20 percent of the freshman class staying at the school last season, much below the rest of the athletic department’s 75 percent rate.