USF fires baseball coach after abuse claims

The University of San Francisco's baseball coach was fired Sunday after claims of psychological abuse and inappropriate sexual conduct.

Head coach Nico Giarratano was let go after new allegations surfaced last week, according to school officials. Former assistant coach Troy Nakamura was fired in January.

A lawsuit alleges multiple players have become suicidal as a result of the coaches' behavior. The three players, identified as John Does in the lawsuit, describe various forms of abuse.

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The players, who spoke to the San Francisco Chronicle on the condition of anonymity, said Nakamura routinely used sexually graphic language in front of the team; flipped one player into a handstand and pretended to eat spaghetti out of his crotch area during a pre-practice skit; and once crawled onto the field naked.

The players described a culture in which "it was 'normal' to see [former assistant coach Troy Nakamura] naked on the field or in a window, swinging his penis in a helicopter fashion while the entire team -- and [Giarratano] -- watched."

John Doe 1 alleges that Giarratano referred to him using several expletives and repeatedly berated him in an attempt to pressure him to leave the program. That player ad s four-year guaranteed scholarship. He entered the transfer portal in January.

John Doe 2 outlined a pattern of verbal and emotional abuse that resulted in five emergency room visits in the fall of 2021, which contributed to his decision to leave the program.

John Doe 3 said Giarratano told him he was a waste of space, that none of his teammates or coaches liked him and that "I wish I could take my bat and hit your head as hard as I can, and maybe I can get your brain to work," according to the lawsuit.

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"When the university first became aware of the complaints by students and families about the environment and behavior of coaches in the baseball program, we immediately conducted an internal investigation that led to the firing of Troy Nakamura and official reprimand of Nino Giarratano," USF athletic director Joan McDermott said in a statement released by the school.

"The new allegations in the lawsuit as well as Giarratano's recent behavior in allowing Nakamura access to baseball operations is extremely concerning. As a result, we have taken actions to make changes in baseball program leadership."