St. Joe's Player Makes Accusation

PHILADELPHIA (AP) â€” A St. Joseph's women's basketball player filed a formal complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission accusing a former assistant coach of sexually harassing

Thursday, January 18th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

PHILADELPHIA (AP) â€” A St. Joseph's women's basketball player filed a formal complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission accusing a former assistant coach of sexually harassing her.

The complaint filed by Cheryl Kulesa in September accuses Frank Gaitley, the husband of women's basketball coach Stephanie Gaitley, of asking Kulesa for dates, making sexually suggestive remarks and telling her sexual jokes at practice, and sending her inappropriate notes, one written on school stationery.

Kulesa also accused Stephanie Gaitley of retaliating against her for going to school officials with her accusations.

Attorney Tom McGoldrick, representing the Gaitleys, said each ``emphatically denies'' the accusations. He refused to elaborate because the matter is in litigation.

Frank Gaitley resigned after last season, with the university saying at the time that he wanted to pursue other business opportunities. The Philadelphia Daily News, however, quoted a university source as saying he was asked to resign in May after an investigation of the harassment accusations.

St. Joseph's confirmed that a player on the varsity team came to athletic director Don DiJulia alleging sexual harassment against a member of the women's basketball coaching staff. Linda Lelii, vice president for student life and academic development, investigated and informed both parties of her findings, and the assistant coach resigned in early May, the school said.

The university, which did not identify the parties, said Thursday it was school policy not to comment on personnel matters pertaining to sexual harassment.

Kulesa, a marketing major from Clementon, N.J., would have been playing her senior season for the Hawks but left the team before this season because of what the team called ``personal reasons.''

She said in her complaint that she was undergoing psychological counseling, was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder with panic attacks, and was on medication.

Kulesa started 27 of 29 games last season and had career-high averages of 7.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists.