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UAB softball coach accused of mental, physical abuse, making racist remarks in bombshell allegations

Nypost · · 471 words · By Christian Arnold
Allegations of Coach Misconduct Athlete Safety and Welfare Institutional accountability
open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/07/sports/uab-softball-coach-taylor-smartt-accused-of…

psychologyDetected Techniques

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Loaded Language 90% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

12 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 6
info Single Source 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
schedule Pending 2
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“Smartt had “taken a step back” from the softball program last month”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent news sources (USA TODAY Sports, WBRC, WBMA) confirm that Taylor Smartt has 'taken a step back' or 'stepped away' from the UAB softball program.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2022 Troy Trojans softball team represented Troy University during the 2022 NCAA Division I softball season. The Trojans played their home games at Troy Softball Complex. The Trojans were led by e…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Troy_Trojans_softball_tea…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The UAB Blazers are the varsity intercollegiate athletic programs that represent the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) located in Birmingham, Alabama. The school is one of the fifteen member i…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UAB_Blazers
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The UAB Blazers softball team is a varsity intercollegiate athletic team of the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. The team is a member of the American Conferen…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UAB_Blazers_softball
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“a report from Sports Illustrated now shines a light on the alleged shocking actions of the coach, citing multiple student-athletes, parents and others connected to the athletic program”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources (USA TODAY Sports, WBRC) reference a Sports Illustrated report that cites testimony from players and parents regarding allegations against Smartt.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Eagles
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025 season was the New York Jets' 56th in the National Football League (NFL), their 66th overall and their first under general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn. This season began …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_New_York_Jets_season
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Netball has never been played at the Summer Olympics, but its federation World Netball has been recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), since 1995 after a twenty-year period of lobbyi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netball_and_the_Olympic_Moveme…
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“Lindsey Dupree, the mother of former UAB softball player Aubrey Dupree, told SI that Smartt “repeatedly subjected” her daughter to “mental and verbal abuse” through racist comments and body shaming”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the general existence of the Sports Illustrated report and allegations of racist remarks are corroborated by other news outlets, the specific testimony from Lindsey Dupree is only mentioned in the context of the SI report and not independently detailed in the provided search results.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a type of brain damage that has been found in 345 of 376 deceased former National Football League (NFL) players, according to a 2023 report by the Boston Univ…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NFL_players_with_chron…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Luther Jacob Goodall (December 30, 1924 – February 21, 1972) was an American professional wrestler, known by his ringname Luther Lindsay or Lindsey, who competed throughout the United States with the …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Lindsay
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Phoenix Mercury are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Mercury compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Western Confere…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_Mercury
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“Another parent said her daughter was told by the coach to stop hanging out with her “charred” friends”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific claim regarding 'charred' friends is a detail from the Sports Illustrated report and is not independently corroborated by other news sources in the provided evidence.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2022 Troy Trojans softball team represented Troy University during the 2022 NCAA Division I softball season. The Trojans played their home games at Troy Softball Complex. The Trojans were led by e…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Troy_Trojans_softball_tea…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The UAB Blazers are the varsity intercollegiate athletic programs that represent the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) located in Birmingham, Alabama. The school is one of the fifteen member i…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UAB_Blazers
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The UAB Blazers softball team is a varsity intercollegiate athletic team of the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. The team is a member of the American Conferen…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UAB_Blazers_softball
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“someone witnessed Smartt punch one of her players during the first game in a series against East Carolina on March 27”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (al.com, The Spun, USA TODAY Sports) report the allegation that Smartt punched a player during a game at East Carolina on March 27.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025 season was the New York Jets' 56th in the National Football League (NFL), their 66th overall and their first under general manager Darren Mougey and head coach Aaron Glenn. This season began …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_New_York_Jets_season
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — New Stories from the South is an annual compilation of short stories published by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill between 1986 and 2010 and billed as the year's best stories written by Southern writers…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Stories_from_the_South
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Troy Trojans softball team represents Troy University in NCAA Division I college softball. The team participates in the Sun Belt Conference. The Trojans play their home games at Troy Softball Com…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_Trojans_softball
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“The person reported the complaint to members of the ECU athletics staff, including athletic director Jon Gilbert, via email”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the complaint was sent to ECU athletics staff and specifically mention athletic director Jon Gilbert's response to the email.
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web search NEUTRAL — UAB Softball head coach Taylor Smartt did not coach in the final five games of the 2026 regular season.Gilbert replied to the email with, “Thank you for sharing,” and “Will forward to the appropriate …
https://www.si.com/onsi/softball/news/allegations-against-ua…
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web search NEUTRAL — “Taylor Smartt has taken a step back from the program. We will make further comment when it’s appropriate," a UAB spokesperson told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday. "We are committed to providing a safe…
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/softball/2026/…
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web search NEUTRAL — As to Smartt’s employment status, UAB would only acknowledge that “Taylor Smartt has taken a step back from the program. We will make further comment when it’s appropriate.”
https://www.al.com/sports/2026/05/uab-taking-appropriate-ste…
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“players were made to push assistant coach Anna Shelnutt’s vehicle and then run in front of it to stop it with just their body weight”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources (USA TODAY Sports, al.com) report the allegation that players were required to push assistant coach Anna Shelnutt's vehicle as part of a workout.
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web search NEUTRAL — UAB softball coach Taylor Smartt has been away from the team since April 24 while the university investigates widespread allegations of misconduct.Assistant coach Anna Shelnutt ran the program for the…
https://www.al.com/sports/2026/05/uab-taking-appropriate-ste…
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web search NEUTRAL — Four current players told SI that Smartt would “threaten to loosen their buttholes with her fingers.” Smartt also allegedly incorporated an offseason workout that required players to push assistant co…
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/softball/2026/…
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web search NEUTRAL — UAB Softball head coach Taylor Smartt did not coach in the final five games of the 2026 regular season. |The head coach commanded the team to push assistant coach Anna Shelnutt’s Toyota 4Runner.
https://www.si.com/onsi/softball/news/allegations-against-ua…
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“Smartt “forced” Shelnutt to put her Toyota 4Runner in neutral for the drill”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources specify that the vehicle used in the drill was Anna Shelnutt's Toyota 4Runner.
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web search NEUTRAL — The alleged physical abuse also showed up in the offseason when Smartt introduced a couple of dangerous preseason conditioning workouts. The head coach commanded the team to push assistant coach Anna …
https://www.si.com/onsi/softball/news/allegations-against-ua…
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web search NEUTRAL — Four current players told SI that Smartt would “threaten to loosen their buttholes with her fingers.” Smartt also allegedly incorporated an offseason workout that required players to push assistant co…
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/softball/2026/…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — So we got a call to rescue a new 2020 Toyota 4Runner out of a ditch near the Red Bull Rampage trail.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_6UAIIes8Q
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“The issues raised also included a claim that Smartt had an inappropriate relationship with a player”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to support or refute the claim of an inappropriate relationship with a player.
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“A player reportedly had walked in on Smartt, another person associated with the softball program and a teammate in a compromising position on the couch”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to support or refute the claim of a player witnessing a compromising position on a couch.
schedule
““The coach maintains an inappropriately close relationship with a specific player, including sleeping over at the player’s residence,” according to the complaint made”
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“In a statement to SI, UAB said that the university was “committed to providing a safe, respectful, and positive experience for our student athletes.””
PENDING
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.