Louisiana Tech player Ashley Santos, left, tweeted a photo of her flat tummy on Saturday to prove she is not the player who was impregnated by former women’s basketball head coach Tyler Summitt.
Santos, 23, captioned her photo: “Rumors Squashed. Don’t talk about what you don’t know. #notprego #LetsMoveOn #LadyTechsterTerritory.”
Rumors Squashed. Don't talk about what you don't know. #notprego #LetsMoveOn #LadyTechsterTerritory pic.twitter.com/fEmApjEr8v
— Ashley Santos (@ASantos_33) April 8, 2016
Santos is one of 2 players who followed Summitt from Marquette to Louisiana Tech when he was hired as head coach 2 years ago. The other player is Brooklyn Pumroy, 22, who left the school after announcing earlier in the season she would forgo her last year of eligibility.
Summitt, who is married, resigned Thursday after admitting he had an inappropriate relationship with one of his players.
In a statement released to the media on Thursday, the disgraced former coach said, “I am profoundly disappointed in myself for engaging in a relationship that has negatively affected the people I love, respect and care about the most.”
Summitt, 25, is the son of former Tennessee Lady Vols women’s basketball head coach Pat Summitt, who retired in 2012 after she was diagnosed with alzheimer’s disease.
Santos’ father, Jose Santos, told USA Today Sports that the team was negatively affected by the favoritism Summitt showed toward Pumroy.
Ashley Santos addressed the issue in a meeting with assistant coaches.
“She presented to the coaches that some of the girls had confided in her that if things didn’t start to change, or some things weren’t addressed, they were not returning,’’ Jose Santos told USA TODAY Sports. “They didn’t like the environment at all and they talked about leaving and that’s a fact.
During the meeting, Ashley was assured that the situation would improve, according to Jose Santos.
“I know for sure that Ashley was told there would be adjustments made and it never happened,” he said.
“We just felt that at the very least there was some basketball favoritism going on,” Jose Santos said. “If you know basketball, you could just see it.”
Other parents said their daughters were frustrated that Pumroy received favoritism from the coach on and off the court.
Risha Moten, mother of Kevione Moten, said Brooke had the “green light” to do whatever she wanted.
“She could mess up a million times and (Summitt) wouldn’t take her out,’’ Risha Moten said.
Ashley’s mother said that Ashley hasn’t seen or spoken to Brooke since the scandal broke.
“She hasn’t seen her,” Lori Santos told USA Today. “She hasn’t spoken to her. Nothing.”
