University of Hawaii men’s volleyball coach Charlie Wade has been accused of sexual misconduct with a former female player.
The Orange County Register reported that the U.S. Center for SafeSport, a nonprofit that investigates sexual misconduct for the U.S. Olympic Committee, is looking into allegations against Wade. It was also reported the U.S. Center for SafeSport suspended Wade in September pending the investigation’s outcome.
The newspaper cited documents from the organization and from USA Volleyball.
UH released a statement regarding the allegations against Wade on Thursday. The statement in its entirety read:
“There are media reports that University of Hawaii at Manoa 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.”
In the release, UH said it is reviewing the matter and is awaiting the conclusion of the SafeSport investigation.
“Wade strongly denies that any type of misconduct took place,” the release said. “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, according to the release.
“He still has not been been interviewed and has not heard from SafeSport since,” it said. “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.”
Wade is allowed to continue to coach for Hawaii because NCAA events are not under the authority of the nonprofit, the Olympic Committee or USA Volleyball.
Hawaii’s men’s volleyball team (27-2) earlier won the Big West Conference championship and is the top-seed of the NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship tournament, which began Thursday.
UH will play in the NCAA semifinals on May 2 and awaits the winner of the opening-round match between the University of Southern California and Lewis University.
Info from Associated Press.
