Bay FC has made hires to form a new global scouting department — including Graeme Abel as the team’s head of domestic scouting across the college and professional ranks, the organization announced Thursday. Abel was at the center of a 2024 investigative report from The Oregonian over his conduct as the head coach of the women’s soccer team at the University of Oregon.
The report was published last April, after a winless record in 2023 and the departure of 12 players from the team. Fourteen former players spoke to The Oregonian for its story and said they experienced verbal abuse and felt shame from Abel’s conduct as head coach. The players reported that he threw objects, used “harsh language” and threatened their place on the team or their scholarship.
Abel denied the allegations via a written statement provided to The Oregonian. “At no point have I used threatening statements or financial repercussions as a part of coaching,” he said.
The University of Oregon athletic department also provided a statement to The Oregonian and said a postseason review that took place after the 2023 season, prompted by player complaints, “found no evidence of verbal abuse from Abel or issue that warranted additional action from the university.”
Abel resigned from the…
