Tony Giro, co-head coach of the women’s lacrosse team, was placed on leave from the university today following the suspension of five players last week.
Amy Slade will take the position as sole head coach of the program following Giro’s departure. Slade shared coaching duties with Giro since the two were appointed co-head coaches three years ago.
The players were suspended after Giro and Slade made the athletics department aware of a GroupMe chat between the players that contained what the department termed “highly concerning” language. The department is investigating the chat, in which some of the older players on the team discussed taking violent action against the freshmen players.
While the department has not spoken to the specifics of the messages, a copy of the chat obtained by the Baltimore Post Examiner shows the five suspended players threatening to injure and “kill the freshman.”
A press release from the department did not provide a reason for placing Giro on leave, but states that the action was taken to “allow the Retrievers to focus on their upcoming conference season.”
