LEXINGTON, Ky. — University of Kentucky cheerleading head coach Jomo Thompson and three others lost their jobs Monday following an in-depth hazing investigation by UK. Those who knew Thompson and cheered with him are reacting to the investigation and allegations that led to his ouster. 

What You Need To Know


  • Former cheerleaders speak out about scandal

  • They believe the coaching staff was unfairly fired

  • They say the coaches would not have known about the incidents

  • If there were incidents, coaches would punish team members

Former cheerleaders say they find it hard to believe, and at least do not agree with the consequences for Thompson. 

"Anytime our coaches have ever been in the room, if they've ever seen anything, they are quick to shut it down all the way to the point where one of my years there I remember someone got in trouble for drinking and literally the next day we were at the Seaton Center at 5:00 in the morning to go run our miles- the entire team," said Triston Allen. 

Allen cheered at UK beginning in 2004, two years after Thompson became the head cheer coach. He explains, each year, there's a cheer retreat. The investigation alleges the inappropriate behavior happened at off-campus events like these. A call from a family member of one of the cheerleaders prompted the investigation which began in early February. The family member alleged inappropriate conduct by squad members and inadequate oversight by coaches during off-campus trips. 

UK interviewed 60 students. Staff concluded coaches and an administrative advisor did not provide oversight at off-campus events where there was allegedly hazing, alcohol use, and public nudity. 

According to UK Provost David W. Blackwell, investigation findings included that some cheerleaders threw their teammates in the water while topless or bottomless, done at the direction of other cheerleaders and within the view of some coaches. Coaches also failed to stop students from drinking and to confiscate alcohol brought to the retreat by some squad members, according to the investigation's findings, and some members required medical treatment after drinking. 

UK Cheerleading Scandal


"What more could the staff have done, check every single person's backpack for anything illegal?" said Allen.

He tells Spectrum News 1 he's been calling, texting, and messaging friends and former teammates about the allegations put forth. "There is a little truth to every lie for the most part," he says. 

Another peer of Thompson's is Bennie Cunningham, who cheered with him at UK in the nineties. "I think [Thompson] should have been reprimanded and allowed to resign. It has a sour connotation of being fired," said Cunningham. 

“No. I don’t agree that proper oversight was not provided, because in 2018-2019, student-athletes were able to sneak and do a few things the coach didn’t know about and I believe if he had, those actions would have stopped," he added. 

Cunningham says "college behavior" including drinking, happened out of coaches' sight, in his day, and is in disbelief the current coaches knew about the alleged drinking, hazing, and nudity. 

"I can tell you if anything ever happened and you were caught, you were punished accordingly. In my day, people got in trouble for stuff. People were suspended for certain actions, and for certain actions, people got kicked off," he said. 

“The advisor and the coaches failed to stop a culture of hazing, alcohol use, and public nudity at off-campus activities where they were present,” said Eric N. Monday, UK’s executive vice president for finance and administration. “Our students deserve more responsible leadership and the University of Kentucky demands it.”

“This must be a championship-level program both on and off the court and playing fields,” said Mitch Barnhart, athletics director. “And as with all our sports, that will be our goal — every day.”

The search for a new coach is underway.