Breaking the Silence: Alex Cooper’s Story and the Need for Accountability in Collegiate Athletics

At KBD Attorneys, we represent survivors of abuse and stand up for those harmed by power imbalances in institutions that should protect them. The recent Hulu documentary “Call Her Alex” shines a national spotlight on an underreported but deeply harmful form of misconduct: psychological and sexual harassment in collegiate sports, particularly when the abuser is someone in authority. We are following the developments at Boston University (BU) closely and view the situation as a painful but necessary catalyst for conversation and reform.

Alex Cooper: From Athlete to Advocate

Alex Cooper, now the host of one of the most influential podcasts in the country, “Call Her Daddy,” spent part of her early adulthood playing for the Boston University women’s soccer team. Her podcast became famous for tackling topics many women were discouraged from speaking about publicly—female sexuality, toxic relationships, gendered double standards, and personal trauma. With millions of listeners and a massive following, Cooper has used her platform to reclaim her voice. And now, she is using it to speak out against a pattern of abuse that she says began during her time as a student-athlete at BU.

In the Hulu documentary, Cooper describes repeated incidents of inappropriate behavior by her then-coach Nancy Feldman, who led BU’s women’s soccer team from 1995 until her retirement in 2022. Cooper alleges Feldman made sexually inappropriate remarks, invaded her personal boundaries, and retaliated against her when she resisted. Feldman has not publicly responded to these claims, and BU has yet to address Cooper’s allegations directly.

The Allegations: Power, Retaliation, and Silence

Cooper’s account paints a disturbing picture. She describes being pulled aside after practice, subjected to uncomfortable touches and suggestive comments, and benched when she did not play along. In one chilling example, Cooper recalls being summoned for private conversations during which Feldman placed her hand on Cooper’s thigh. She also recounts moments during team film sessions where Feldman would replay footage of Cooper, drawing attention to her appearance and body in front of the team.

“It was this psychotic game of, ‘Do you want to play? Tell me about your sex life,’” Cooper says in the documentary. She also shared that Feldman would offer rides alone, press for intimate information, and exploit the authority she held as a coach to manipulate and isolate players.

When Cooper considered reporting what was happening, she says the school advised her not to pursue it—a common and unacceptable response from institutions trying to avoid scandal. The message was clear: stay quiet, or risk your spot on the team and your reputation.

Feldman retired in 2022 with accolades and fanfare. A petition to support her, circulated soon after these stories began surfacing, gathered signatures from those unwilling to believe the accounts of former players. Meanwhile, Cooper and others were left to navigate the trauma alone.

A Pattern of Abuse: The Casey Brown Investigation

BU has said very little about Cooper’s claims. Instead, their recent public statements focused on a different coach: Casey Brown, who succeeded Feldman and was also accused of inappropriate behavior. The Boston Globe reports that 18 players reported Brown for making inappropriate comments and showing favoritism toward a particular athlete, even narrating footage of the player with what teammates described as “moaning sounds.”

Texts obtained by the Globe showed a personal and potentially boundary-crossing tone between Brown and the student-athlete. Despite an external investigation concluding there was no policy violation, BU and Brown parted ways quietly mid-season.

In response to mounting criticism, BU has announced plans for an external review of its athletic department. But to those who experienced the alleged abuse firsthand, this is too little, too late.

Abuse Without Bruises: Why Harassment Still Counts

What happened to Cooper—and to others who came forward—illustrates a kind of abuse that doesn’t always leave physical scars but is no less damaging. Mental manipulation, sexual comments, and power games that force young athletes into silence are forms of harassment that deserve recognition and accountability. At KBD Attorneys, we recognize that emotional and psychological abuse, particularly when it occurs within a power dynamic like coach and player, is insidious and traumatizing.

Being called into an office, stared at, touched, benched, and then gaslit into silence creates a long-term psychological toll. Survivors often carry that trauma for years, questioning whether their experience was “bad enough” to speak up. Cooper’s decision to share her story publicly is both brave and important—it shows that even when the abuse is hard to quantify, it still matters.

The sad truth is that cases involving psychological or verbal abuse are harder to pursue legally without physical injury. But that does not mean they shouldn’t be pursued. With growing cultural awareness and stronger legal frameworks, survivors today have more tools to seek justice than ever before.

If You Experienced This Kind of Abuse, You’re Not Alone

If you recognize similar patterns in your own experience with a coach, mentor, or authority figure—manipulation, inappropriate comments, unwanted physical contact, retaliation for setting boundaries—you are not alone. The dynamic between coach and athlete is fertile ground for abuse, especially in high-stakes programs where scholarships, playing time, and futures are on the line.

At KBD Attorneys, we are actively exploring legal action related to abuse of power in school athletics. We represent survivors who were psychologically manipulated and sexually harassed by those entrusted with their development and safety. We understand the difficulty of speaking out, especially when your injuries are invisible.

You deserve to be heard. You deserve accountability. And we are here to help.

KBD Attorneys: Holding Institutions Accountable

Our firm is committed to exposing and confronting abuse, no matter how powerful the institution or individual behind it may be. We have represented survivors in a range of misconduct cases involving universities, medical facilities, youth programs, and more. We understand how these power dynamics are exploited, and we know how to fight back.

KBD will continue to highlight cases like Cooper’s and provide resources to survivors who are ready to come forward. You can learn more on our Harassment and Abuse in Athletics page, which includes legal options and survivor guidance.

We commend Alex Cooper for speaking out, and we hope her courage empowers others to do the same.

If you were harmed by a coach, teacher, or authority figure in a school or athletic setting, contact us for a confidential consultation.