Virginia Tech soccer player allowed to proceed with lawsuit after declining to kneel

A Virginia judge ruled on December 2 that Virginia Tech women’s soccer player, Kiersten Hening, can proceed with a lawsuit against a coach that allegedly benched Hening for standing during a social justice demonstration. 

Hening based her lawsuit on First Amendment rights, claiming that “after she refused to kneel in support of social-justice initiatives, including Black Lives Matter (’BLM’), prior to the team’s 2020 season opener against the University of Virginia (’UVA’), Adair retaliated against her in violation of the First Amendment.”

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

After refusing to kneel, Hening’s coach allegedly scolded Hening for “b******g and moaning” and “doing her own thing.”

Hening proved herself to be a talented soccer player prior to the 2020 soccer season.

According to the ruling, she “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.” In addition, Hening averaged 76 minutes of playing time as a freshman and 88 minutes as a sophomore. 

[RELATED: This college president won’t stand for athletes kneeling during national anthem]

It was also “no secret among the players and coaching staff that Hening was an outspoken conservative and supporter of former President Donald Trump.”

Hening initially sued her former coach in 2021, as Campus Reform previously reported. We will continue to follow the ongoing litigation and provide updates as they occur.

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