A former University of California, Berkeley softball player has filed a lawsuit accusing ex-coach Chelsea Spencer of coercing her into a sexual relationship and retaliating against her when she ended it. The complaint also names the university, alleging it failed to remove Spencer after being notified of the relationship.
The player, who is suing anonymously, claims Spencer began making advances shortly after she joined the team as a pitcher in 2023. According to the lawsuit, Spencer frequently contacted the player via calls and texts about personal matters, offering compliments and suggesting a power imbalance influenced the player's opportunities.
"Keeping Spencer emotionally satisfied was necessary not only to protect [her] own position and playing opportunities, but also to keep the team functioning," the complaint states. The alleged intimacy occurred in May 2024 during a team trip, with the player describing it as mutual but acknowledging the power dynamic.
Following the player's decision to end the relationship approximately a year later, the lawsuit alleges Spencer retaliated by benching her before a game, stating, "You're not pitching." This action effectively ended the player's collegiate softball career, forcing her to leave campus and complete her degree online.
According to the lawsuit, multiple school officials, including an associate athletics director, were aware of the relationship. Despite this knowledge, the player claims she was removed from the team instead of Spencer being disciplined or dismissed.
"Student athletes at our institutions, they shouldn’t have to choose between resisting a coach or someone else with a large power imbalance over them, and on the other hand protecting their own athletic and educational future," said Michael Carney, an attorney with the law firm Slater Slater Schulman representing the ex-player.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from the University of California and Spencer. Spencer, who resigned last year citing a need to "prioritize my mental health and my family," has stated that the claims will be addressed in legal proceedings. A spokesperson for UC Berkeley declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Spencer, a former UC Berkeley softball player herself, became head coach in 2020. She led the team to the NCAA Tournament from 2023 to 2025 and had signed a contract extension last year. Public records from 2024 indicated Spencer was married to an assistant coach on the same team and had two children.