A former University of California, Berkeley softball player has filed a lawsuit accusing ex-head coach Chelsea Spencer of pressuring her into a sexual relationship and retaliating against her for ending the affair.
Spencer resigned as head coach of the Cal Bears in June 2025, citing a desire to focus on family and mental health. She had signed a contract extension with the university just four months prior.
The lawsuit, filed by a plaintiff identified as Jane Doe, names Spencer and the school's board of regents as defendants. According to the complaint, Spencer showered Doe with attention after she transferred to Cal in 2023, frequently texting her and complimenting her appearance. The lawsuit states Spencer told Doe, "You're so beautiful," and "Your girlfriend is so lucky."
Doe also claimed to have received gifts from Spencer, including headphones and cash, while Spencer allegedly held "substantial power authority and influence" over the player.
The complaint alleges that Spencer became angry when her attention was not reciprocated, at times reducing Doe's playing time. "Spencer progressively eroded the professional boundary between Head Coach and student-athlete and conditioned [the player] to understand that compliance brought rewards while resistance brought consequences," the filing states.
According to the lawsuit, Spencer's conduct became increasingly physical on the UC Berkeley campus, including prolonged embraces and kisses that departed from normal coach-player affection. The complaint states that by the time the relationship escalated to sexual contact, Doe had already experienced consequences for not giving Spencer the attention she desired, learning that ignoring or attempting to distance herself could lead to anger, yelling, differential treatment, and reduced playing opportunities.
In May 2024, Spencer allegedly directed Doe to her hotel room, where the lawsuit claims sexual contact occurred. While described as "mutual," the filing stressed it "occurred within the coach-athlete relationship SPENCER had cultivated."
Several more sexual encounters allegedly followed until May 2025, with Doe reportedly continuing the relationship out of fear of losing playing time. "Plaintiff was therefore placed in an untenable position," the complaint reads. "Refusing SPENCER meant risking diminished playing time, anger and punishment from the Head Coach who controlled whether Plaintiff played, disruption to the entire team, and the possibility that SPENCER would carry out her repeated threats of self-harm."
When Doe attempted to end the relationship in April 2025, Spencer allegedly scratched her from a start against Florida State. The lawsuit claims Spencer "repeatedly demanded secrecy" from Doe regarding their relationship and pressured her to defend the coach against criticism from other Cal players.
Despite attempts at secrecy, the lawsuit alleges that Cal coaches and department personnel were aware of the relationship and its consequences. However, "SPENCER continued serving as Head Coach, continued exercising authority over Plaintiff, continued controlling Plaintiff's playing opportunities, and continued engaging in sexual contact with Plaintiff."
Maya Spencer resigned from her position in June 2025. At the time, Cal director of athletics Jim Knowlton issued a brief statement thanking Spencer for her contributions and wishing her luck.
Mogulof told SFGATE, "We have no comment to offer." Spencer currently does not have an attorney listed on the Alameda County Superior Court website. Attempts to reach her for comment have been unsuccessful.
Doe is seeking damages from the UC system for allegedly failing to enforce its policies, as well as for negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Doe's attorney, Michael Carney, told Berkeleyside, "It was pretty open and obvious that something improper was going on here."