Duke volleyball player Rachel Richardson was the subject of racist verbal abuse from an opposing fan in a game against BYU. Now, she is calling out her opponent for being too lax about the situation as it was going on.

Richardson was called the N-word and told to watch her back by a white BYU spectator, her Godmother said on Twitter. Although the fan was hit with a ban from all BYU events, the situation was not dealt with as it was ongoing. The Duke sophomore took to Twitter herself to explain what happened.

Article Continues Below
More Sports News
Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker (43) enters the dugout to play the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Braves’ 2 most disappointing players in 2025Shane Shoemaker ·
A general view of the 2024 NBA Boston Celtics Championship parade in Boston.
Fenerbahçe Euroleague Championship parade makes NBA parade look like child’s playYasmin Edañol ·
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8), forward Chet Holmgren (7) and guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) talk to the media after defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves in game four of the western conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center.
Thunder’s Big 3 breaks playoff record of Kevin Durant-led Big 3Rexwell Villas ·
Tom Brady prior to the IndyCar Series 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Tom Brady mercilessly booed during Indy 500 appearanceKendall Capps ·
Feb 16, 2025; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson (84) walks onto the driver introduction stage to greet fans before the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images
Jimmie Johnson’s Indianapolis 500 photo with Tom Brady gets fans buzzingJaren Kawada ·
Texas A&M Aggies' Jace LaViolette (17) is hit in the hands by a pitch as Auburn Tigers take on Texas A&M Aggies during the SEC baseball tournament at Hoover Met in Birmingham, Ala., on Thursday, May 22, 2025.
Texas A&M baseball star drives in run with broken hand vs. No. 1 LSUJordan Llanes ·

“Both the officials and BYU coaching staff were made aware of the incident during the game, but failed to take the necessary steps to stop the unacceptable behavior and create a safe environment,” Richardson wrote. “As a result, my teammates and I had to struggle just to get through the rest of the game, instead of being able to focus on our playing so that we could compete at the highest level.”

Richardson added that she does not believe the inexcusable behavior is reflective of the BYU team and noted that athletic director Tom Holome did act quickly when notified of the incident. Although the Duke volleyball team was able to deal with the situation quicker, BYU needs to take responsibility for its inaction.

The situation is just another example of the ugly reality that Black athletes, especially in college, have to deal with. Richardson's courage and approach to addressing the situation are commendable.