National Women's Soccer League commissioner Jessica Berman confirmed on Friday that an investigation into the technical staff of Bay FC has been opened.
The San Francisco Chronicle first reported that two former Bay FC players labeled the culture under head coach Albertin Montoya as "toxic." The report added that the league was made aware of one formal complaint where a player claimed she experienced "bullying" by Montoya.
ESPN confirmed the initial reports of an investigation being opened.
"A review is underway by an independent third party, and we're very confident that the system we have in place will ensure that we surface the issues that need to be addressed, and that we'll continue to work with all of our clubs, our technical staff and our players to make sure that we're achieving our goal of creating a safe, healthy working environment," Berman said.
The news arrives a week before the start of the 2025 season, and just weeks after the NWSL reached a $5M settlement with several state attorneys general to close ongoing investigations and provide compensation for athletes following discoveries of "systemic" abuse uncovered by reports from 2022.
