Western University Women’s Hockey Coach Stands by Team Amid Conflict

The Western University women’s hockey coach, Candice Moxley, is speaking out for the first time after some players threatened to boycott games. She’s ready to support the team amid the player’s concerns about an external investigation that cleared her of wrongdoing. Moxley, who was at the centre of the conflict, expressed her readiness to return to the ice and provide support to the team. She was part of an independent investigation following players’ allegations of misconduct, and some players claimed they were forced to play while injured. Last week, Moxley was cleared of wrongdoing, and a strength and conditioning coach was dismissed. In an email on Thursday, Moxley said, “This has been a terribly difficult time — for women’s hockey at Western and for me as a coach. I have certainly reflected during this experience and will continue to grow and better myself as a leader.” At a meeting with university administration, students were asked for feedback on how they feel about Moxley’s return. Some students had sent a letter to the president’s office last week, questioning the impartiality of the investigation. They expressed their expectation that the university would believe them as survivors of psychological abuse they faced from coach Moxley. The university’s vice-provost, John Doerksen, met with players and asked them to fill out a confidential survey signalling their intentions to remain on the team this season under Moxley’s leadership. Some players requested more time to consider their options, and the survey remains open. According to some players, the first informal complaints about misconduct were launched in February 2022 and were not addressed transparently by staff, with no follow-up. Western University hired a London lawyer, Elizabeth Hewitt, to investigate in July 2023. She conducted 38 interviews and determined that some allegations were substantiated, but the ones against Moxley were not legitimate, and informal complaints were addressed properly. Moxley expressed her commitment to the team’s success and her intention to create a positive and productive experience upon her return.