Former San Jose State University volleyball player Brooke Slusser has accused the school’s administration of failing to inform her and her teammates about decades-old sexual assault allegations against head coach Todd Kress, even as rumors about the alleged incident circulated during the 2024 season. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Slusser said she was warned by her parents and others close to her never to be alone with Kress, but the university never disclosed the specific allegations contained in a letter sent to SJSU in October 2024.
The letter, written by a former player who competed under Kress at Fairfield University in 1998, alleges that Kress attacked her in a team hotel room after a loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. According to the letter, Kress smeared caramel on her face and hair, forcibly threw her onto a bed, pulled down his pants, and placed his backside in her face. He then allegedly picked her up, threw her into a bathtub, held her down, and threatened to turn on the shower while she was lying there. The former player said she fought back and eventually escaped. Fox News Digital independently verified that the woman played for Kress at Fairfield during the 1998 season but is not disclosing her name.
Slusser said that during the 2024 season, rumors of Kress’s alleged past behavior reached her parents, who then advised her to take precautions. “I was told just to be safe and not be in a room alone with him when my parents found out about it,” Slusser said. “They told me, ‘We’re not gonna tell you everything that happened ’cause we don’t wanna scare you, but we’re telling you from here on out, you are not allowed to be alone in a room with Todd Kress.’” She said her parents instructed her to bring former assistant coach Melissa Batie-Smoose or a teammate whenever Kress called her into a meeting, which she said happened daily.
Emails obtained by Fox News Digital show that SJSU officials acknowledged receipt of the allegations in October 2024, thanked the former player for coming forward, and apologized for her experiences. However, Slusser alleged that the school never informed her or any other current or former players about the letter. “The school gave us absolutely zero information. This was never brought up once. I think anyone would remember that,” Slusser said. She added that since the allegations were reported, former teammates have reached out to confirm they also were never told by the university.
Despite the allegations, Kress has continued to serve as the head coach of the women’s volleyball team. In the days following the public report of the allegations, he posted on social media about his recruiting efforts. Meanwhile, Batie-Smoose, the assistant coach who Slusser said protected and supported players, was suspended just days after she submitted a Title IX complaint in October 2024. Her contract was not renewed the following January, and she has since filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the university. Slusser said she is most troubled by the university’s decision to let Batie-Smoose go while keeping Kress on payroll. “I think that’s the part that bothers me the most, is that they’re gonna let go of Melissa, who was always there for us, protected us, cared for us, and then you’re gonna keep him on payroll,” Slusser said.
Slusser is also pursuing a separate lawsuit against SJSU and the California State University system, related to her experience with a transgender former teammate during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. She has now issued a warning to current players and incoming recruits. “I would say beware… see the man that you just committed to playing for for the next four years. It’s not someone I would wanna send my daughter to play for or anyone that I know. I wouldn’t send my worst enemy to play for him,” she said.
The case has drawn renewed attention to how universities handle allegations of misconduct against coaching staff, particularly when those allegations surface during an active season. The university has not publicly commented on the specific allegations against Kress beyond acknowledging receipt of the letter. Kress has not responded to requests for comment. The former Fairfield player’s letter was originally sent to Fairfield University before being forwarded to SJSU. She wrote that the alleged incident occurred after Fairfield’s loss to Clemson in the first round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament, describing Kress’s behavior as “drunken insanity” that was “commonplace on trips.”