Athletics and Safety
A federal lawsuit alleging long-standing sexual misconduct within NC State University’s athletic department has continued to grow since it was first filed in 2022, with 17 additional former male athletes now joining the case to bring the total number of plaintiffs to 31. The suit centers on allegations against former director of sports medicine Robert Murphy Jr., who is accused in court filings of engaging in inappropriate conduct under the guise of medical treatment over a span of roughly a decade. The complaint also names senior university officials, alleging they failed to act on warnings about Murphy’s behavior dating back to 2012.
Key Alleged Milestones in the Case (as outlined in court filings):
- 2012: According to the lawsuit, then–men’s soccer coach Kelly Findley raised concerns about Robert Murphy Jr.’s conduct with senior athletics officials shortly after Murphy was hired and requested that Murphy no longer serve as the team’s trainer.
- 2016: Court filings allege that Coach Findley again alerted a senior associate athletic director, expressing concern that Murphy’s interactions with male student-athletes reflected what he described as potential “grooming” behavior. Murphy remained employed and was later promoted.
- 2016–2021: The complaint states that during this period, athletics officials instructed Murphy on multiple occasions to stop treating male athletes and to limit his involvement with the men’s soccer program, though the lawsuit alleges those directives were not formally enforced.
- January 2022: NC State placed Murphy on administrative leave following a formal Title IX complaint filed by former soccer player Benjamin Locke. Murphy was later involuntarily separated from the university in the summer of 2022.
- August 2022: Locke filed the first federal lawsuit, bringing the allegations into public view for the first time.
- 2023–Present: Additional former athletes subsequently came forward, resulting in multiple federal cases and the expansion of related litigation. As of February 2026, the consolidated lawsuit includes 31 former NC State athletes.
NCAA Bylaws
Title IX and NCAA regulations form a dual-layered protection system for student-athletes, though they approach medical abuse from different angles. Title IX is a federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination and harassment, including sexual abuse by medical staff. Under the 2024 Title IX Regulations, schools must respond “promptly and effectively” to any notice of sexual harassment. Crucially, at the university level, almost all athletic staff—including trainers and doctors—are considered mandatory reporters (non-confidential employees). They are legally required to notify the Title IX Coordinator if they suspect or witness abuse, a failure that is central to the negligence claims in the NC State case.
The NCAA’s rules, such as Bylaw 3.2.4.17, act as the administrative “enforcer” for these federal standards within sports departments. While Title IX focuses on the victim’s rights and the school’s liability, NCAA bylaws focus on the institutional structure of the medical care itself. By requiring “independent medical care,” the NCAA aims to remove doctors from the influence of coaches who might prioritize game-day results over reporting an abusive colleague.
As of 2026, this intersection has become even more high-stakes due to shifting federal standards:
- Institutional Knowledge: Under current rules, once a “responsible employee” (like a coach) has knowledge of potential grooming or abuse, the school is legally “on notice.” If the institution remains “deliberately indifferent”—meaning they fail to take reasonable steps to stop the abuse—they face both loss of federal funding and massive civil liability.
- “Severe or Pervasive” Standard: Recent updates have refined the legal threshold for harassment. Schools are now held to a standard where they must address any unwelcome sex-based conduct that is so severe or pervasive that it limits a student’s access to their education or athletic program.
The Way Ahead
While the serious allegations remain unproven and have not yet been tested in court, and the defendants deny the claims, the expanding litigation has intensified scrutiny of institutional oversight and athlete protections, underscoring the responsibility of leadership to respond decisively to concerns as the legal process determines accountability.