Utah coach says team was shaken after experiencing racial hate at hotel during NCAA Tournament

Utah coach Lynne Roberts addressed a troubling situation involving her team during the NCAA Tournament, describing it as a series of "racial hate crimes" that necessitated a hotel change for safety reasons.

Roberts disclosed the incidents following Utah's loss to Gonzaga in the tournament's second round. While not delving into specifics, she indicated that the events occurred last Thursday night after the team's arrival, causing distress within the traveling party and raising safety concerns.

Utah, initially lodged about 30 miles away in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, had to relocate to a different hotel on Friday due to the unsettling experiences.

"We had several instances of some kind of racial hate crimes toward our program and (it was) incredibly upsetting for all of us," Roberts said. "In our world, in athletics and in university settings, it’s shocking. There’s so much diversity on a college campus and so you’re just not exposed to that very often."

The situation arose due to limited hotel availability in the Spokane area, where the tournament was being held. As a result, Utah, along with South Dakota State and UC Irvine, were housed in Idaho under special arrangements.

Roberts emphasized the reality of racism and its impact on everyone involved, highlighting the distress it caused the players and staff despite the diversity typically seen on college campuses.

The NCAA and Gonzaga collaborated to relocate Utah after the initial night, but the incident remained a source of disruption and disappointment.

"It was a distraction and upsetting and unfortunate. This should be a positive for everybody involved. This should be a joyous time for our program and to have kind of a black eye on the experience is unfortunate," Roberts expressed.

Gonzaga responded with a statement emphasizing the event's primary focus on ensuring the safety and well-being of all participants. The university expressed frustration and sadness over the compromise of what should have been a positive championship experience, denouncing any compromise of their values or standards.

The region has faced issues related to far-right extremism, as evidenced by the presence of hate groups reported by organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center in 2018.