George Washington to Investigate Coach Mike Lonergan for Emotional, Verbal Abuse

George Washington University announced Thursday that "it is bringing in outside counsel" to investigate accusations that men's basketball head coach Mike Lonergan emotionally and verbally abused his players, according to ESPN.com's Myron Medcalf.

The Washington Post's Adam Kilgore reported earlier Thursday that a basketball player went to a Title IX coordinator in April and said Lonergan had "created an offensive, intolerable environment."

Kilgore described instances in which Lonergan allegedly told one of his players that his child would always be on food stamps and another that he should be playing in a "transgender league."

The alleged abuse reportedly forced one player to attend therapy and mull over the possibility of quitting basketball altogether.

George Washington University released a statement on the investigation (via Medcalf): "The university expects full cooperation and will not tolerate retaliation during the course of the investigation. We will also continue to inform the student-athletes on our men's basketball team of the university's support and of the resources available to them."

Per Kilgore, Title IX coordinator Rory Muhammad told the student who lodged the complaint in April that the issue had been "handled."

"I don't think the guy should be in sports," one former player told Kilgore. "I don't think what he said should be tolerated. I would like to stay at GW. I will not play for Mike Lonergan." In fact, 13 players have transferred out in the past five years.

University officials spoke to Lonergan in 2015, and senior associate athletics director Ed Scott watched him during practice and on road trips throughout the season, per Kilgore.

Lonergan has coached at the school for five years, compiling a 97-70 record while making the NCAA tournament in 2014.