Hawaii men’s volleyball: Charlie Wade under investigation for possible misconduct
Some of you may have read the story from the Orange County Register that came out Wednesday on Charlie Wade being investigated for possible misconduct involving a female player over 20 years ago. The story has led to Long Beach State assistant Scott Touzinsky resigning from the 49ers staff so as not to be a distraction to the team. The allegations against Touzinsky have been proven.
The one against Wade is still under investigation.
Here’s our story in progress on StarAdvertiser.com, updated with quotes from UH spokesman Dan Meisenzahl standing by the head coach while UH conducts a review.
.@uhmanoa spokesman Dan Meisenzahl on supporting #HawaiiMVB coach Charlie Wade, whose status remains active, while a review of Wade’s misconduct allegations is conducted. pic.twitter.com/0hXUp9KCgO
— Hawaii Warrior World (@hawaiiwworld) April 26, 2019
Original statement from UH
“There are media reports that University of Hawaii at Mānoa Head Men’s Volleyball Coach Charlie Wade is under investigation by the U.S. Center for SafeSport regarding an allegation of possible misconduct with a female athlete. The incident is alleged to have happened approximately 30 years ago in California when he was coaching a club volleyball team.
UH takes any allegations of misconduct seriously. The university is actively reviewing the matter and is awaiting the conclusion of the SafeSport investigation.
Wade strongly denies that any type of misconduct took place. In his years at UH, as the women’s volleyball assistant coach and as the men’s coach, he has never been accused of this type of misconduct and has always handled himself with the highest level of professionalism.
Wade cooperated with the SafeSport investigation as soon as he was notified in September 2018. He still has not been been interviewed and has not heard from SafeSport since. His attorney formally requested, multiple times and as recently as April 4, that SafeSport provide an update to the investigation. SafeSport has yet to respond.”
Just curious but after this kind of time gap, what would their investigation consist of besides people talking about their recollection of events? Accusations that occur closer to present day could have other kinds of evidence like texts, emails, phone calls, etc.
Without discussing the facts of the investigation because we simply don’t know, the way this article was written is suspicious at best. I don’t even know where to start. The article, in my opinion, was poorly written naming Charlie Wade and UH on the headline, while talking about someone else (49ers Mens Volleyball Asst. Coach who left the program after the conclusion of a similar investigation Wade is under) in the article robbing Wade the benefit of a doubt until proven guilty or otherwise, until the investigation is concluded to sensationalize a poorly substantive “investigation.” In an effort to say Wade have been suspended by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, which btw started even before this season began, it brings up the question whether this article would have been written if Hawaii didn’t make the tournament and/or have not been seeded #1.
I’m glad the UH issued an statement and I hope the student athletes are keeping their focus. This is hard on everyone.
Minor, nothing serious. Hawai’i is closer to a national title than they ever was. I hope they win.
They play on May 2, 2019. With either MPSF USC or Lewis. These two teams play on April 30. Determining who will move on. Hawai’i has the number #1 seed.
Due process.
Due process
Due process.
Cindy, question: if an investigation ensues through the tournament, can the NCAA take away any championship Hawaii wins?
Post it, ya’ll.
I stand by Charlie Wade.
I stand by UH men’s volleyball.
30 years ago; club volleyball. At least that explains why the NCAA isn’t involved.
6. no. this has nothing to do with the NCAA
I STAND WITH COACH!
this is ridiculous.
the timing wow, what a coincidence.
It seems SafeSport received this allegation a year ago. I understand why the university issued a statement today, and why the Star-Advertiser filed a story today.
But what I do not understand is how the folks at USA Volleyball and SafeSport sleep at night with all their dawdling. This is a serious charge, and it’s either accurate or it isn’t. Either way, letting a year go by without interviewing a named party does not smell like justice, for either the accused or the accuser.
From the linked article: USAV hears in February 2018, tells SS in March 2018. SS does not talk with the person making the charge until April 2018 — yes, a year ago. According to the Orange County Register, SS does not begin its investigation until July or August 2018. Wade finds out thereafter, and gets a notice in September that he cannot be involved in any USOC endeavors. Here we are, the end of April 2019 and he has not been interviewed yet. What is the normal time arc with SafeSports, anyway?
A bunch of keystone cops with no information to go on so they dragging this thing out and hope they accomplish their goal….which is to knock someone off the pedestal by shaming them.
I also question why they decided to give information out to a newspaper reporter to do a story after only talking the one side.
I just cannot get over the unfairness of this story.
If this was 20–30 years ago…Charlie was what…in his twenties? Today, the accuser could be almost forty or fifty…what is the purpose?
It does not bode well that the LB person resigned but maybe there is more to that part of the story.
I stand with Coach Wade.
30 years ago. Seriously?!!
11. Reading some articles, i think the SafeSport center is underfunded and understaffed.
13. Touzinsky resigned after it came out that he was found guilty of the allegations. He had been suspended then the suspension was lifted. The whole thing is odd the way it’s been and being done.
https://www.hawaiiwarriorworld.com/?p=49531
new thread up for Friday about SandBows at Big West tournament