Columbia head coach Megan Griffith, who is entering her 11th season at her alma mater, will be suspended for the first three games of the 2026-27 season. The university announced the punishment on Thursday, following an external review of a complaint filed with the university. The Associated Press was the first to report the story.
The review found fault with Griffith’s “interactions with the team” in practices in a previous season. It did not find any issues in practices this season or any violations of NCAA rules. In addition, the complaint did not allege that Griffith had violated any Columbia policies related to anti-discrimination or Title IX.
“I fully respect the process of the University review and take complete responsibility for everything that happens in the program, including the times my conduct fell short,” Griffith said in a statement. “As the Head Coach and a former student-athlete at Columbia University, there is nothing more important to me than the success and well-being of my players.”
After the news broke, the current Columbia players released a statement backing Griffith.
“We are aware of the [AP] article that was published today and the suspension that was issued to Coach Griffith,” they said on Thursday. “This is not indicative of our experience as part of this program, which has been overwhelmingly positive. We fully stand with and support Coach Griffith. This program is a family, and we pride ourselves on being a supportive and inclusive environment for all.
“We are ready to attack the season.”
Griffith will miss games against Davidson on Nov. 2, Rhode Island on Nov. 6 and Belmont on Nov. 8. She will return for the Lions’ game against Michigan on Nov. 12. In the meantime, she can participate as usual in all team activities, including practices. She will also receive additional coaching mentorship.
Associate head coach Tyler Cordell will lead the team in the games when Griffith is suspended. Cordell has been part of the coaching staff for Griffith’s entire tenure at Columbia and was promoted to associate head coach in 2022.
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Griffith, a three-time captain for the Lions as a player, was hired at Columbia in March 2016 after spending six seasons on Princeton’s staff. She had no previous head coaching experience, but she fully believed she could turn around a Lions program that had floundered before her arrival, going 246-557 in 30 Division I seasons for a winning percentage of just 30.6%.
“I give huge credit to [Columbia athletic director] Peter Pilling because he hired me when I was just a kid,” Griffith told reporters in March 2024. “I was 31 years old. I had this crazy vision. I told him I was going to come here and win championships.”
Griffith started her tenure with three straight losing seasons, but in 2019-20, the Lions qualified for their first-ever Ivy League Tournament (which was ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic). The program has kept rolling ever since, going from the doormat to the standard in the Ivy League.
Over the past five seasons, Columbia has gone 125-35, including 61-9 in conference play. The Lions won three straight regular-season Ivy League titles from 2023 to 2025, including the program’s first outright title in 2025. Each time, Griffith was named Ivy League Coach of the Year.
The Lions made their first Division I NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024 and won their first game in the tournament in 2025. Last season, they won their first postseason tournament in program history, leading for 95% of the time in their five wins in the WBIT.
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Griffith is known for pushing her players hard to get these results, but she tries to convey to them that it’s coming from a place of love. She has said over the years that she believes Columbia has the best culture in the country, and she has summarized that culture as “Work hard, play hard, love hard.”
“I love these players like they’re my family,” Griffith said in March 2025, after her fiery halftime speech helped the Lions get their first NCAA Tournament win. “… I know what they need in those moments because I know them. … We love each other and we can trust each other.”
Several Columbia players have said that they consider Griffith like a second mother and that they know she has their best interests at heart. Recent graduates Perri Page, Kitty Henderson and Abbey Hsu all stated their support for Griffith on Thursday, either to the Columbia Daily Spectator or on social media.
However, six players who joined the team since 2023 have left with eligibility remaining, including two who transferred to other Division I programs.
This season, the Lions were picked to finish second in the Ivy League and received five first-place votes. But in their first three games, the Lions will have to establish their identity and set the tone for their season without their head coach on the sideline.
