A former player for the University of California, Berkeley's softball team has initiated legal action against the school and her former head coach, Chelsea Spencer, alleging serious sexual misconduct. The lawsuit, filed under the pseudonym "Jane Doe" in Alameda County Superior Court, claims that Spencer coerced the player into a sexual relationship that she felt unable to terminate, which subsequently affected her playing time on the team.
Spencer, who resigned from her position as head coach in June 2025, cited personal reasons related to her mental health and family commitments. The lawsuit targets not only Spencer but also the University of California's Board of Regents and various unnamed individuals, including administrators and athletic directors, who are accused of facilitating or concealing the alleged misconduct.
According to the lawsuit, the relationship began in 2023 and involved frequent, intensely personal communications from Spencer to the player. These communications reportedly included sharing suicidal thoughts and romantic sentiments, with Spencer allegedly complimenting the player’s appearance and gifting her items such as AirPods and several hundred dollars. The suit claims that Spencer's emotional demands led to a pattern of rewards and consequences based on the player's compliance with her demands for attention.
The lawsuit details troubling instances where Spencer would become angry if the player attempted to distance herself, resulting in reduced playing opportunities. Conversely, the player received more game time when she complied with Spencer's expectations. This dynamic reportedly escalated to physical and sexual interactions, which began during a team trip in May 2024. The suit states that while the sexual contact was mutual, it occurred within the context of the power imbalance inherent in the coach-athlete relationship.
Throughout the 2024-25 academic year, the relationship continued, with Spencer allegedly instructing the player to keep their encounters secret and to delete messages from her phone. The player expressed feeling compelled to maintain Spencer's emotional satisfaction to avoid repercussions for the team, including threats from Spencer regarding her own well-being if the relationship ended. The situation reportedly became untenable when the player attempted to end the relationship in April 2025, leading Spencer to threaten her playing status.
Concerns about the relationship were raised by other players and coaches, but the suit claims that no action was taken to separate the two or report the misconduct. In February 2025, a report was made to Cal's associate athletic director, Gordon Bayne, regarding the preferential treatment the player received due to her relationship with Spencer. Eventually, in May 2025, the player was removed from the team following discussions about the relationship.
Spencer, a former NCAA champion and All-American during her playing days at Cal, became the head coach in May 2020 and had recently signed a contract extension in February 2025. After stepping down, she transitioned to a career as a financial representative in Long Beach, California. The lawsuit also mentions that Spencer's wife, Kailee Cuico, who was an assistant coach at Cal, was aware of the relationship.
When approached for comment, Spencer claimed she was unaware of the lawsuit and indicated that any claims would be addressed through legal channels. Following this, she appeared to deactivate her LinkedIn account.
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