Alex Cooper’s Assistant Soccer Coach Responds to Sexual Harassment Allegations

NEED TO KNOW

• Alex Cooper’s former assistant soccer coach, Casey Brown, broke her silence after the podcaster accused former Boston University soccer head coach Nancy Feldman of sexual harassment in Call Her Alex on Hulu
• Feldman, who retired from her collegiate coaching position in 2022, reportedly made comments about Cooper’s body, asked invasive questions about her sex life and touched her thighs, as the podcaster alleged in her Hulu series
• Cooper claimed the school’s athletic officials did not take action after Cooper and her parents provided written documentation of Feldman’s inappropriate interactions

Alex Cooper’s former assistant soccer coach, Casey Brown, broke her silence after the podcaster accused head coach Nancy Feldman of sexual harassment during her time on the team at Boston University (BU).

In a recent interview with The Boston Globe published on Friday, June 13, Cooper elaborated on the sexual harassment claims she made public in Hulu’s Call Her Alex released three days prior, and cited a time she was called into BU’s athletic complex with both Feldman and Brown.

Cooper recalled getting over a case of mononucleosis during her collegiate soccer stint, one of many players on the team who had been infected at the time. Cooper alleged to The Globe that she was the only player called into the office to explain “who” she’s been with and “how” she got it.

Per the Globe, Cooper said she turned to Brown and “locked eyes” with her. “‘Casey, help me’,” she pleaded, the outlet reported, noting that Brown turned away. Cooper alleged that Brown “did nothing about it.”

In a statement to the Globe, Brown said she had “no recollection of what has been suggested” by Cooper.

“But let me be absolutely clear: I would never ignore, dismiss or turn away from anyone — a player, a teammate, a friend, a family member — who sought my help in any capacity. As a coach, I understood the weight of my responsibility to protect my players and act accordingly. The suggestion that I would do otherwise is completely false,” Brown told the outlet.

‘Call Her Alex.’.

Disney

On Thursday, June 13, Boston University responded to Cooper’s sexual harassment allegations made against Nancy Feldman in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

“Boston University has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment. We have a robust system of resources, support and staff dedicated to student wellbeing and a thorough reporting process through our Equal Opportunity Office,” the college wrote.

“We encourage members of our community to report any concerns, and we remain committed to fostering a safe and secure campus environment for all,” the statement concluded.

The Hulu documentary — which premiered at the Tribeca Festival in New York City on June 8 — sheds light on Cooper’s claims about her experience playing soccer at Boston University. She was on the team from 2013 to 2015 with a full athletic scholarship, and in the docuseries, the social media star noted her tuition source as a reason why she felt unable to speak out about Feldman’s alleged abuse.

“If I didn’t follow this woman’s rules, I was gone,” the Call Her Daddy host said. She claimed that Feldman started to “fixate” on Cooper during her sophomore year. The coach allegedly made comments about Cooper’s legs and would touch her thigh. She also claimed Feldman asked invasive questions about the player’s sex life.

“It was this psychotic game of, ‘You want to play? Tell me about your sex life,’ ” Cooper alleged. “I felt so deeply uncomfortable.”

Alex Cooper.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

According to Cooper, she spoke about the alleged sexual harassment with her parents, who contacted lawyers. However, the lawyers warned Cooper that the university would drag out a case for years. Cooper did not play soccer during her senior year of college, but she did retain her scholarship.

Boston University athletics officials also allegedly did not take action after Cooper and her parents provided written documentation of Feldman’s inappropriate interactions. The college also did not fire the coach, though she later retired in 2022.

Feldman, Boston University and the school’s athletic department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment at the time of the Tribeca Festival premiere of Call Her Alex on June 8.

During a Q&A held after the premiere, Cooper revealed why she decided to speak up about the allegations 10 years later. Her decision to do so was partly because of the docuseries, which was directed by Ry Russo-Young.

While making Call Her Alex, they visited the university’s soccer field, and Cooper said the director encouraged her to reflect on what happened during her athletic career there.

“I was nervous and scared, and so [Russo-Young] was incredibly supportive and just said, ‘Let’s just go and let’s see what comes up,'” Cooper said during the Q&A.

Alex Cooper.

 Jon Kopaloff/Getty

“The minute I stepped back on that field, I felt so small,” she continued. “I just felt like I was 18 years old again, and I was in a situation with someone in a position of power who abused their power, and I felt like I wasn’t the Call Her Daddy girl. I wasn’t someone who had money and influence or whatever. I was just another woman who experienced harassment on a level that changed my life forever and took away the thing I loved the most.”

Cooper also said during the Q&A that the whole saga was “frustrating” for her because she wanted to encourage women to come forward with their stories, but when she did, it was met with disbelief. However, the media personality notes that she’s “not ashamed” that it took her 10 years to come forward.

“But it makes me question a lot, and I think this documentary, as difficult as it was to explore, I actually think this is just the beginning,” she said. “It’s really opened my eyes to how difficult the system is, and it’s so built against us as women.”

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.