Former Wichita State women’s assistant issues statement regarding O’Brien incident

Former Wichita State assistant coach Dana Eikenberg issued a statement regarding an incident with a player in 2011, claiming the matter was resolved.

Eikenberg, now an assistant coach at Providence, worked on coach Jody Adams’ staff for three seasons, one as director of operations and two as assistant coach, from 2011-14.

In 2011, according to former Shocker Molly O’Brien, Eikenberg pushed her against the wall in a hotel hallway with her forearm during a road trip to California. O’Brien recently spoke publicly about the incident for the first time.

“The student-athlete’s concern was addressed by WSU at the time and I was informed by the University that the matter was resolved,” Eikenberg said in the statement. “I am proud of the time I served at Wichita State University and honored to have been part of that Missouri Valley success story.”

Adams’ program is the subject of an inquiry by university administration after four players, two starters, quit the team recently. Faculty athletic representative Julie Scherz is leading the inquiry and is charged to talk to current and past players, coaches and administrators. Michaela Dapprich, Moriah Dapprich, Alie Decker and Kayla White met with Scherz recently after leaving the team. Those players, and others, describe an atmosphere of anger, isolation and personal insults that has caused several athletes to transfer during Adams’ tenure.

O’Brien said the incident happened after an exchange in a room that O’Brien considering a joking situation about carrying bags to the team bus. O’Brien said a teammate and a team manager witnessed the moment.

“She put her forearm against my (collarbone),” O’Brien said. “Right underneath my throat, so she wasn’t really choking me, but she had enough pressure on me to where I couldn’t move.”

O’Brien said she talked with athletic department administrators about the incident. Adams told O’Brien to apologize to Eikenberg. O’Brien left the program during the following season.

This story was originally published April 27, 2015 at 4:23 PM with the headline "Former Wichita State women’s assistant issues statement regarding O’Brien incident."