UAB softball coach Taylor Smartt is under an athletic department probe in Birmingham, Alabama, after players and parents raised serious claims about physical, mental, and off-field misconduct. Reporting by Maren Angus and coverage from outlets like OutKick surfaced details that prompted Smartt to step away from the program on April 25, while UAB officials including Athletic Director Mark Ingram and spokesperson BJ Millican respond. The allegations span from on-field confrontations to alleged inappropriate relationships and troubling workout practices, and the university says it is investigating.
The Blazers brought Smartt in to rebuild a program, but whispers about her methods began almost immediately. Those concerns escalated into formal complaints after the season unfolded, leading to an internal review that college athletics circles in Alabama and beyond have noticed. Parents and players took their concerns directly to university leaders, forcing UAB to take visible action.
Players and their families describe incidents that cross several lines, starting with an episode on March 27 during a game against East Carolina. SI reporter Maren Angus detailed accusations that Smartt struck a player twice in the dugout, a charge that, if substantiated, would be deeply troubling for any program. The school confirmed Smartt missed the final five regular-season games and the conference tournament amid the investigation.
The complaints do not stop at physical contact. Parents and athletes allege racially insensitive comments, including a reference to a player’s hairstyle as “jailhouse braids” and a remark about stopping time with “charred” friends. Those kinds of comments, combined with the allegations of physical abuse, created a tipping point that prompted multiple parents to meet with UAB administrators. That meeting reportedly included Athletic Director Mark Ingram and other university officials.
Beyond in-game conduct and comments, investigators are looking into off-field behavior that has raised serious questions about boundaries and professionalism. One complaint describes a player walking into an apartment to find Smartt and others in a “compromising position” with a student-athlete, and that led to another formal allegation. The report also claims the head coach maintained an inappropriate relationship with a player, allegedly sleeping at the player’s residence on multiple occasions.
Disturbing language is explicitly quoted in one complaint, which includes the line “to the bathroom and loosen my a**hole for me” as an alleged psychological tactic used by the coach. That phrase appears verbatim in statements circulating among parents and is part of the material the athletic department is reviewing. Such explicit allegations have pushed the probe into territory that could attract outside scrutiny from NCAA or Title IX investigators.
There are also claims tied to conditioning and travel that read like a checklist of red flags for a program. Parents alleged Smartt forced players to push a Toyota 4Runner in neutral until it rolled, then sprint in front of the vehicle so teammates could physically stop it. Other complaints include unusual workout demands and accusations that meal stipends intended for players were withheld during away trips, creating more friction between athletes and staff.
UAB has kept its public statements limited while the investigation continues. OutKick reported that BJ Millican told them, “Taylor Smartt has taken a step back from the program. We will make further comment when it’s appropriate., UAB’s BJ Millican told OutKick. “We are committed to providing a safe, respectful, and positive experience for our student athletes. When concerns are brought to our attention, we take appropriate steps to investigate them. Employment matters are handled between the institution and employees.” The university says it will handle personnel matters internally as the inquiry moves forward.
Media outlets like OutKick and SI have sought comment from Smartt and university officials; OutKick says it reached out to Smartt and has not yet received a response. As the softball season wrapped up for the Blazers, parents, players, and administrators prepared for what could be an extended review. With multiple complaints already lodged and an investigation underway, stakeholders will be watching to see if the probe expands beyond campus.
