Huskers pay women's coach Connie Yori $1.2 million to leave

Apr 7, 2016 - 11:07 PM LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) Nebraska will pay former women's basketball coach Connie Yori nearly $1.2 million under terms of her separation agreement released by the university Thursday.

Yori stepped down on Tuesday following an in-house investigation into alleged mistreatment of players. Yori has denied any wrongdoing.

Yori earned $732,913 a year under her contract, which last June was renewed through June 2020.

Under the voluntary separation agreement, she'll be paid $631,648 by April 15 and another $568,350 in January. The first payment includes $104,298 in vacation and holiday pay.

Yori's abrupt departure ended her 14 years at Nebraska. Yori said in a statement Tuesday that she was leaving for personal reasons. She and husband Kirk Helms are going through a divorce and child custody battle.

The Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World-Herald reported that the university had investigated Yori's treatment of players after concerns of bullying and disregard for players' well-being were raised in February by several current players and some support staff members.

Three male students who worked with the team this past season as practice players told The Associated Press that they never witnessed abusive behavior by Yori.

Yori was the consensus national coach of the year in 2010 after Nebraska went 32-2 after a 30-game winning streak and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. She was also the Big Ten Conference coach of the year in 2013 and 2014.

She was 280-166 at Nebraska. The Huskers finished 18-13 overall and 9-9 in the Big Ten this past season. They failed to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four seasons and were ousted in the first round of the WNIT by Northern Iowa.