Oberlin College coach reassigned after trans athlete comments, says new role has 'no contact with students'
Women's lacrosse coach Kim Russell said she has been ridiculed by administrators for supporting female athletes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Oberlin College women's lacrosse coach Kim Russell was removed from her role allegedly after her stance against transgender athletes competing in women's sports flared tensions with school administrators.
"I have been taken out of the role of coach, which is what I've done for 27 years," she told "America's Newsroom" Tuesday. "I've been a P.E. teacher, a coach and a teacher of programs of wellness, yoga, all sorts of things, kickboxing…and [been] asked to take a role as employee wellness program manager, which would have no contact with students and be creating things - which is paperwork."
Russell, who served as head coach for five years at the Ohio liberal arts school, said she has been ridiculed by administrators and players after sharing her views on social media on transgender swimmer Lia Thomas' NCAA championship win in 2022.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Women's College Lacrosse sticks on display during the Boston College Eagles vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish game at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, MA. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
"Unfortunately, you fall into the category of people that are kind of filled with hate in the world," Natalie Winkelfoos, associate vice president for athletics, told Russell in a recorded conversation played on "The Ingraham Angle" last week.
Creg Jantz, senior associate director of athletics, told Russell, "It’s acceptable to have your own opinions, but when they go against Oberlin College’s beliefs, it’s a problem."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Despite the remarks, Russell maintains that she never broke school rules.
"There were no rules that I was breaking. I was speaking my belief, my opinion," she told host Laura Ingraham.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Oberlin College women's lacrosse coach Kim Russell discussed her post about trans athletes competing in women's sports with Laura Ingraham (Fox News/"The Ingraham Angle")
"When I took that to the college with a letter from my attorney, I said, 'If I am breaking university policy, please tell me what that policy is. Please do so in writing and, if you're going to fire me for breaking that policy, please do it now.'"
Russell told Bill Hemmer and Dana Perino she has planned to speak out about the issue a year ago, but waited after realizing her emotions were fueled by hurt and anger at the time.
"I waited until I could do it from a place of love and kindness and for what I would say is the greater good," she said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Russell hasn't spoken to either Winkelfoos or Jantz since her story broke last month, but she did speak to the athletic director who offered her a new role at the college.
Even in light of the challenges, she remains passionate about preserving Title IX and fighting on behalf of women in sports.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I am so passionate about this because the reason we have these opportunities to play and coach and to do the things we do is because of the women who came before me, who fought for Title IX, who fought for us to have these opportunities," she said. "And I don't think that the younger generation even understands that these opportunities weren't here years ago."
In a statement to Fox News, Oberlin College clarified that Russell has not been fired and is still employed.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Oberlin also delivered a statement to "The Ingraham Angle," which said, "Freedom to express one’s views is a cornerstone of our democracy and is certainly important to our Oberlin College community."
However, when posting on social media, Oberlin College said staff should "reflect upon any potentially negative posts and the impact they could have upon your ability to effectively perform the roles and responsibilities of your job."
On Wednesday, Oberlin provided an updated to statement to Fox News Digital, stating Russell was reassigned due to a "breach of trust."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The decision to reassign Kim Russell to a new role in the Athletics department pertains to her breach of trust rather than any views she has expressed. Russell posted about trans athletes on social media 18 months ago, in March 2022. She coached an entire season after that. But when she recorded her student-athletes without their knowledge or consent, then shared those recordings with the media, she violated their trust in an irreparable way," the statement read.
"This breach of trust not her posts, feelings, or beliefs about trans athletes--is why she has been removed from her coaching duties. Russell is our new Employee Wellness Project Manager, which fits well with her skills, experience, and interests."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News' Scott Thompson contributed to this report.