Multiple dismissals have occurred at Cal State Bakersfield as an investigation probes who knew what and when.
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"BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- The
men's basketball program at California State University, Bakersfield won't turn many heads with its last-place ranking in the Big West Conference. But when it comes to scandal, the school could be a top contender.
Cal State Bakersfield's athletic department has been in upheaval since Aug. 29, when then-men's basketball coach Rod Barnes opened an anonymous email from a tipster who alleged that Barnes' temporary assistant coach, Kevin Mays, was also working as a pimp across four states. Other lawsuits, internal investigations, dismissals and finger-pointing have only served to deepen the department's sense of crisis.
In the email, the tipster identified a woman whom Mays allegedly had trafficked for several months."
"Mays, who is being held without bail, faces a hefty rap sheet of 11 criminal and misdemeanor charges, including felonies such as pimping. He also was charged with possession of automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines and possession of methamphetamine and marijuana with intent to sell. Separate charges cited him for possession of more than 600 images of youth or child pornography and distribution of obscene matter involving someone under 18 years old.
Mays has pleaded not guilty on all charges. His attorney, David Torres, declined comment to ESPN."
"As this case reverberated at Cal State Bakersfield, the school announced in September that Barnes and athletic director Kyle Conder had left their roles. Barnes ended a 14-year career as head basketball coach that included taking the team to an NCAA tournament and an NIT tournament. The school did not explain the reason behind their departures, and neither Conder nor Barnes agreed to ESPN requests for an interview."
"Mays told the tipster he was a professional gambler, according to the second email, and that he allegedly threatened to take away the tipster's child if the person exposed his activities. The sender also gave police the alleged victim's phone number and noted she previously had been arrested in Oregon on a DUI charge in a car that Mays had provided.
Further police reporting revealed that Mays had rented the car, but investigators determined that the contract used the university's account with the Enterprise car rental franchise at Bakersfield's airport. Police declined to share a copy of the contract, saying it remained part of an open investigation. The Sept. 4 police report states that the sex worker used the car for her work.
An Enterprise clerk and another, apparently more senior person whose identity is redacted, confirmed to investigators that the car was assigned to a university contract. The latter person told police 'that only MAYS and other CSUB staff were authorized to operate the vehicle,' the report says.
If the police findings are confirmed, it means a state account helped Mays carry out his alleged human trafficking operation."
"As startling as the allegations are concerning the Cal State Bakersfield basketball program, a separate development with the school's softball team had been ongoing. It came into full public view after a softball player posted allegations on TikTok of having been verbally, sexually and physically harassed by softball coaches Leticia Olivarez and James Davenport.
The complex, often difficult-to-decipher web of personal interactions between the athletic staff and student-athletes underscored a culture of chaos. Inappropriate activity either went unnoticed or uncorrected by people in charge until a full-blown public scandal loomed.
Mays was far from the only one worthy of scrutiny. A June 2025 university investigation report delved into allegations against Davenport of illegal weapons transactions, threatening a student with a gun in a video, having an inappropriate relationship with a student and speaking openly about potentially criminal, violent actions against the school.
Lori A. Blodorn, the school's vice president of people and culture, conducted the investigation. She concluded that the allegations against Davenport were adequately substantiated to warrant letting him go."
"THE SCHOOL ANNOUNCED then-athletic director Conder's immediate termination on Sept. 8, a few days after Mays' arrest, but he later stated in a lawsuit against the school that he was fired in August -- before the tip to Barnes but after Conder said he had uncovered "potential crimes and misconduct" at the university.
Conder's lawsuit claims he had tried to warn the administration about nefarious activities within the athletic department. He asserted that he was fired in retaliation for whistleblowing.
The lawsuit adds that the school investigation could not substantiate the player's claims against the softball coaches enough to fire them. Davenport's contract expired in May 2025, and Olivarez remains on paid leave with a contract that ends in May this year. The player who accused them has transferred from Cal State Bakersfield, and the TikTok videos have been deleted."
"Separately, two anonymous softball players sued the school and Davenport last year. It also alleged that Conder 'had a pattern ... of failing to respond when receiving complaints against Coach Mays.'
The school has since denied the entire complaint and asked a court to throw it out, according to court filings. Davenport, in his court filing, also denied all allegations made against him. His lawyer did not respond to a request for comment."
Trivia question: Name the former Patriot who transferred to Cal State Bakersfield?
BYDANIEL GLIGICH
