Yale Athletics Officials Accused of Romance and Forced Retirement Scheme
Two deputy athletics directors at Yale University are facing serious allegations of being involved in a romantic relationship while reportedly pressuring a colleague to retire to create a position for one of them, according to multiple sources. The situation has raised significant ethical concerns within the Ivy League institution's athletics department.
Allegations of Unprofessional Conduct
Ann-Marie Guglieri joined the Yale athletics team in July 2018, making the move from Colgate University where she had previously worked. Less than a year later, her rumored romantic partner, Mary Berdo, also transitioned from Colgate to join the Yale athletics department. Although their relationship does not technically violate Yale's workplace policies since both report directly to Athletic Director Victoria Chun, numerous colleagues have described their romance as "totally unprofessional" according to high-level sources.
The romantic liaison between Guglieri and Berdo is reportedly "well-known" throughout the department, despite apparent efforts by both women to keep their relationship discreet. "They come as a packaged deal," a former coach revealed, highlighting how their professional movements have been closely linked.
Questionable Hiring Practices
When Victoria Chun assumed leadership of Yale's athletics department in July 2018, she brought Guglieri with her from Colgate. However, there was initially no available position for Berdo at that time. To facilitate Berdo's hiring, sources claim a senior associate athletic director was summoned to Chun's office and pressured to either accept a retirement package or submit a 90-day notice, effectively creating an opening for Berdo.
A former employee with firsthand knowledge of the situation detailed how the unnamed administrator was allegedly forced out to make room for Berdo, who joined the Yale team in Spring 2019. Keith Allain, the former men's hockey team coach at Yale, corroborated these accounts, stating the information was consistent with what he had heard from individuals within the department.
Timeline of Events and Background
The sequence of events began with Guglieri's hiring in July 2018, followed by Berdo's arrival approximately nine months later in Spring 2019. Both women had previously worked together at Colgate University, with Guglieri having spent 18 years there before her Yale appointment. Berdo had served as a senior associate director of athletics at Colgate and had eight years of experience working for the NCAA prior to her Yale position.
Interestingly, Guglieri and Berdo had purchased a house together before joining Yale, though Guglieri was reportedly not directly involved in the hiring process for her rumored partner. Despite this distance from the formal decision-making, sources indicated there was a "huge question mark" surrounding what they called the "convenient hiring of Mary Berdo, also from Colgate."
Ongoing Questions and Departmental Concerns
Significant questions persist within the athletics department about whether other candidates were genuinely considered for the position that Berdo ultimately filled, or if she had been preselected for the role well in advance. "Vicky was only able to bring one director, Ann-Marie, with her at the start of her Yale tenure," a source explained. "Mary's hire seemed to be predetermined a year in advance."
The situation has created an atmosphere of uncertainty and raised concerns about fairness and transparency in hiring practices within Yale's prestigious athletics program. The allegations suggest potential ethical breaches that extend beyond personal relationships to include questions about proper administrative procedures and workplace culture.
Requests for comment have been made to Guglieri, Berdo, and Yale University regarding these allegations, but responses have not yet been made public. The situation continues to develop as more details emerge about the circumstances surrounding these appointments and the relationships between key figures in Yale's athletics leadership.
