In a statement released before his resignation, Pulliza denied the allegations and said that coaching a college team sometimes requires “tough, but fair, love.”

Inside Higher Ed reports.

U of Arkansas volleyball coach resigns after letter accuses him of abuse

The head coach of the University of Arkansas women’s volleyball team resigned Wednesday after a letter sent to the university’s athletic department accused the coach of verbally abusing and threatening his players. The letter — signed only by “extremely concerned Razorback parents” — called the coach “sadistic and a danger to young minds.”

According to the letter, Robert Pulliza, the head coach, allegedly told one player that she was lucky he didn’t “punch [her] out of the gym,” and he allegedly threatened to keep players from participating in games he knew their families had traveled long distances to watch. The authors of the letter claim that Pulliza frequently referred to his players as “weak bitches” and used other insults.

In a statement released before his resignation, Pulliza denied the allegations and said that coaching a college team sometimes requires “tough, but fair, love.”