Referee Injured in Wild College Basketball Brawl During Sun Belt Tournament Game
A women's college basketball game took a violent turn when a heated on-court altercation escalated into a full-blown brawl, resulting in a referee being injured and multiple players facing suspensions. The incident occurred during the second-round Sun Belt Conference tournament game between South Alabama and Coastal Carolina at the Pensacola Bay Center.
Game Turns Violent in Fourth Quarter
With South Alabama leading by nine points in the fourth quarter, tensions flared between South Alabama's Cordasia Harris and Coastal Carolina's Tracey Hueston under the basket. After an apparent exchange of words, Hueston abruptly turned around, shoving Harris before throwing a punch at her opponent.
As teammates attempted to separate the players and a referee intervened to break up the initial confrontation, the situation quickly spiraled out of control. A second referee, Marla Gearhart, entered the fray in an attempt to restore order but was struck by Hueston as the player moved away from the growing scrum.
Referee Knocked to the Floor
The wild swing from Hueston knocked Gearhart to the floor, where she lay motionless as coaching staff members worked to separate the players. A South Alabama staffer and another official quickly guarded the area around the injured referee until medical personnel arrived on the court to provide assistance.
Video of the incident circulated widely on social media, showing the chaotic scene as players scuffled and the referee went down. The Sun Belt Conference later confirmed that Gearhart was evaluated by medical personnel at the arena and was released, though her return to officiating duties remains uncertain.
Multiple Suspensions Issued
In the aftermath of the brawl, the Sun Belt Conference announced significant disciplinary actions. Tracey Hueston received the most severe penalty, being suspended for the remainder of the 2025-26 season, including any postseason tournaments.
South Alabama, which won the game 80-70 to advance in the tournament, will be without three players for their next game. Cordasia Harris, Amyah Sutton, and Daniela Gonzalez all received one-game suspensions for their involvement in the altercation.
Coaches React to Unfortunate Incident
South Alabama coach Yolisha Jackson expressed disappointment in the situation, stating that her program does not condone such behavior. "It's a very unfortunate situation for two talented basketball teams," Jackson told reporters after the game. "With young people, sometimes emotions run high and as they go through their growth process and their maturity, sometimes things happen."
Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Pederson acknowledged that Hueston regrets her actions, describing her as "an incredible model citizen off the floor" who knows she cannot act that way. "That was extremely frustrating for everybody, certainly something we don't approve of in this program," Pederson said. "It's nothing you want to see. You hate to see that in your last game."
The incident serves as a stark reminder of how quickly competitive intensity can escalate into dangerous situations in collegiate athletics, with consequences extending beyond the final score of the game.
