Virginia Soccer player receives $100,000 settlement for social justice 'kneeling' controversy

Former Virginia Tech Women’s Soccer player Kiersten Hening received $100,000 after she was punished for refusing to kneel during a social justice demonstration. 

In 2021, the Virginia Tech Women’s Soccer Team decided to kneel during the National Anthem as a social justice demonstration. After noticing that Hening was not participating in the National Anthem protest, Coach Charles Adair allegedly berated Hening for “b******g and moaning” and “doing [her] own thing.” 

[RELATED: College basketball players open March Madness by kneeling during anthem]

The $100,000 will be given to Hening as a settlement for her 2021 First Amendment lawsuit against the coach. Campus Reform previously reported on the twelve-page lawsuit. 

The 2021 lawsuit was allowed to proceed after a judicial ruling on December 2, 2022. Campus Reform reported on the ruling, which stated that Hening “started nearly 40 games prior to the UVA game, including all but three as a freshman, and typically played most of the minutes of those games.”

[RELATED: Kneel or stand? Lawmakers, East Tennessee State admin clash over national anthem]

Virginia Tech University must first approve the settlement for it to become official.

Virginia Tech has not responded to comments requested by Campus Reform. Kiersten Hening’s and Coach Charles Adair’s emails could not be obtained.