Bay FC defends hiring of Graeme Abel as scout despite previous abuse allegations – Equalizer Soccer

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Bay FC technical director Matt Potter said on Friday that he “empathizes” with the questions being asked about the recent hiring of Graeme Abel as a head of scouting for the second-year National Women’s Soccer League team, but Potter feels the team has done its “due diligence” in vetting its various new hires.

Abel most recently served as head coach of the University of Oregon women’s team, which endured a winless season in 2023 that led to a dozen player departures amid allegations that Abel verbally abused players. He resigned following the 2024 college season.

“I think the ultimate is that we have faith in in the processes that are in place,” Potter told reporters on Friday. “And if those processes and that information ultimately feeds back that — if an investigation is done and it’s, I don’t know the right terminology, whether it’s dismissed or no evidence is found within it, and so on and so forth, then the reality is, it becomes about seeing the potential of what somebody can be or can do.

“The world that we’ve all traveled through in terms of the NWSL over the last three to five years, I can completely empathize with why this would be a question. But I think also from the question that people bring up in the things that are coming out, it’s also important to understand that we’ve also done our due diligence.”

Potter said he was responsible for putting forward names to potentially fill several newly created roles, but he was not involved in the vetting processes and background checks. He could not offer specifics on whether player interviews were part of the review process.

A report last year included interviews of 14 former Oregon players who alleged verbal abuse from Abel that included harsh language, thrown objects, and threats to revoke scholarships — allegations he denied.

Abel was hired by Bay FC as head of domestic scouting for the college to pro pathway, while Katie Cole is head of scouting for the youth to college pathway. Both of them will report to Bay FC’s new global head of scouting and recruitment, Mirelle Van Rijbroek. All three previously worked at U.S. Soccer, as did Potter.

Potter became sporting director of Bay FC in December. He joined the 2024 NWSL expansion club a year prior as technical director and served as head of football and interim sporting director since the departure of general manager Lucy Rushton in June.

Prior to that, Potter was the head coach of the Kansas City Current, leading the team to the 2022 NWSL final before abruptly being fired only a few games into the 2023 season for what the Current would only describe as “issues around his leadership.”

Rushton was among the most high-profile departures within Bay FC’s first year, but players have left, too. Record-signing Deyna Castellanos recently agreed to a mutual termination, goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland announced her retirement this month in the middle of preseason, midfielder Alex Loera — the team’s first rostered player — was traded to Utah Royals FC in December.

“Every one of those is an individual story,” Potter said on Friday, adding that “we didn’t always get everything right in that first year.”

Abel was on the U.S. women’s national team’s staff for World Cup triumphs in 2015 and 2019. He also previously worked in the college game at the University of Nevada, Washington State and Oklahoma. Potter also worked at Washington State and Oklahoma, and oversaw Abel in his role at Oklahoma.

“To land here means that we trust in the system of the league, and our own kind of levels of expectation and work that we’ll go to, to make sure we get the right fit.”

Bay FC has also hired former pro player Sarah Harkes as player care and development coordinator to help manage the player experience off the field.