FIU Women's Basketball Player Accused Coach of Pursuing Sexual Relationship

Florida International University women's head basketball coach Marlin Chinn has been accused of sexual misconduct by team captain Destini Feagin.

David J. Neal of the Miami Herald reported on the situation Tuesday, indicating Feagin informed the FIU athletics administration of Chinn's alleged actions Thursday.    

Feagin also filed a formal complaint to the NCAA on Thursday afternoon about Chinn's alleged pursuit of a sexual relationship and her unknowing participation in an NCAA violation. Chinn allegedly gave her a $600 loan in December, and she explained what happened once she used the money.

Neal provided a statement from the university:

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FIU is conducting an investigation into allegations made against coach Marlin Chinn. Based on the allegations, the university has suspended coach Chinn, pending the outcome of the investigation. Because this is an ongoing investigation, the university will not provide additional comments at this time.

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"I went to pay the debt on my account," said Feagin, per Neal. "The day after I received the money, he called me. I said 'Coach, how could I ever repay you?’ I was thankful, showing gratitude, humbleness. I really appreciated that. He said, 'You will pay me back. In other ways.' He said that six times. It's vivid in my head."

Feagin's mother, Joi Nicholson, paid the remaining balance of $350 owed on Monday, per the report. Nicholson and Feagin claimed Chinn suspended Feagin for four games for resisting his sexual advances.

In addition to multiple suggestive text messages Chinn allegedly sent to Feagin over a span of months, he was reportedly up front with Feagin, who described the gist of her encounters with the coach to Neal:

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I noticed he had a sexual attraction for me when he started saying perverted things to me. Commenting on my looks, my body, frame, my breasts, my behind. The way I smile. He would go into detail what his sexual thoughts were. He didn't come out and say what his intentions were at first, but he gave me hints. He said little things that alerted me. Then, he came out and told me how he felt about me.

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Chinn allegedly told Feagin in January he had "sexual fantasies" about her. Panthers teammate Jade Cheek supported Feagin by sending her an email to back up her story, which was then submitted to the NCAA and read as follows:

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My teammate Destini Feagin is in a situation where it seems our head coach is trying to pursue a sexual relationship/encounter with her...I have caught him countless of times staring at Destini even before any of this happened. As a player I do not trust him anymore because I wouldn't want a coach to do this to me. Other teammates and I have noticed this from coach and how he looks at her.

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Feagin was held out of this past Saturday's game due to a violation of team policy, according to text messages Chinn sent to the Herald. She was held out of the team's yearly senior night ceremony on Friday as well.

Per Neal, the FIU athletic department held a meeting Tuesday morning about sexual harassment, and according to Neal's source, the women's basketball assistant coaches attended, but Chinn did not.

This is Chinn's first season as successor to the legendary Cindy Russo, who resigned last January after 36 seasons at the helm with a 667-371 record. He was previously an assistant coach at Maryland and has posted a 4-23 record thus far in 2015-16.