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BLACKSBURG, Va. — Former Virginia Tech college soccer player receives $100,000 to settle lawsuit against coach accused of benching her for her conservative political views .<\/p>\n
Keisten Hennig, a starter for Virginia Tech’s women’s soccer team in 2018 and 2019, was in his first two seasons with the team, but was cut short of playing time after refusing to kneel at the 2020 pregame unity ceremony. claimed to have lost<\/p>\n
Hennig, Cameron Norris, an attorney in Arlington, Virginia, first reported the settlement to the Roanoke Times, telling the Roanoke Times that her punishment violated her First Amendment right to free speech. claimed to have<\/p>\n
Before the game, a “Unity Statement” was read at the stadium to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers.<\/p>\n
Floyd’s death sparked a public outcry. A Minnesota court has convicted one police officer of murder for actions including kneeling on her neck and choking Floyd. Two other officers were convicted in federal court of violating Floyd’s civil rights.<\/p>\n
In her federal lawsuit, Henning said that while she “supports social justice and believes black lives matter,” she “does not support the organization BLM,” and that she “does not want to fund the police.” “The tactics and core tenets of its mission statement, including stopping it,” he quoted.<\/p>\n
Hennig claimed that the team’s head coach, Charles “Chugger” Adair, “verbally attacked her” at halftime while putting his finger in her face. She said she was pressured to leave.<\/p>\n
In a lawsuit filed in 2021, she sought reinstatement and financial compensation.<\/p>\n
A federal judge last December denied the university’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit. A settlement was reached shortly thereafter.<\/p>\n
Adair has admitted there was no wrongdoing in the settlement, but it requires approval from the university and the state of Virginia.<\/p>\n
Two other players who did not kneel remained on the team.<\/p>\n
A Virginia Tech attorney backed Adair in court documents, saying his account was consistent. Adair, In a Twitter post last week<\/a>said the controversy was simply a disagreement over playing time.<\/p>\n “I am happy that the lawsuit against me has been closed. I am free to move forward with no wrongdoing,” Adair wrote in his tweet.<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, this ordeal has been about disappointments and disagreements regarding playing time,\u201d he tweeted. “Today it has become clear that there is no evidence in this case and the truth prevails.”<\/p>\n The tweet did not mention a $100,000 payment to Henning.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n