Kiersten Hening made her mark as a standout student-athlete at a top state university where she was a prominent player on the Virginia Tech soccer team. But after George Floyd’s passing and the wokeness that followed, that bright career came to an abrupt end.
According to a lawsuit Hening filed in 2021, her instructor insisted that she stand throughout the National Anthem. Hening, a courageous nationalist, refused to comply. Hening lost her starting spot and was benched by head coach Charles “Chugger” Adair as a result of their political disagreement.
She claimed her coach benched her due to her political ideas, and it’s been reported that she’ll get at least $100,000 as part of a settlement to have her federal complaint dismissed.
Norris emphasized that neither his client nor Adair admitted any wrongdoing as part of the settlement’s conditions.
— CoachChugger (@CoachChugger) January 4, 2023
The publication claims that there are no specifics of the settlement in court documents, but Norris claimed that before it can be finalized, university and state officials must approve the deal.
In a post-settlement tweet, Coach Adair boasted about not having to confess wrongdoing, saying, “I am pleased the case against me has been closed and I am free to move forward clear of any wrongdoing,”
Hening’s lawyer responded in a comment on that article, saying, “If by clarity you mean you are paying my client six figures in a settlement then you’re right that’s pretty clear. Honestly, Coach, read the Court’s opinion. You are paying. Defendants don’t pay in cases that have no standing.”
Hening claims that the incident, which resulted in her losing her starting spot for the Virginia Tech women’s soccer team, happened during the team’s match versus UVA on September 12, 2020. Hening claims that Adair “verbally abused her” for standing during the pre-game “unity statement” instead of kneeling. She claims that the incident led to pressure on her to quit the squad.
In particular, the lawsuit claimed that “Coach Adair benched her, verbally abused her repeatedly, and forced her off the team because she refused to kneel.”