This petition is to gain insight for the firing of Coach Giuliana Mendiola and to raise awareness of the mistreatment of players by John Margaritis. As a former player of the UCR Women’s Basketball program I have known Coach Giuliana to lead by example with integrity, respect, courage and love. The main virtue I’d like this petition to focus on is her courage. Being familiar with the program just shy of a decade, Coach Giuliana has been one of the few coaches to advocate for players and their well being as well as voice her perspective on any serious concerns with the way the program had been ran, in regards to John Margaritis lack of respect towards his athletes. Margaritis is known to berate, demean, embarrass, and threaten the women on his teams. Margaritis is also known to mistreat assistant coaches and belittle them so it is very difficult for them to assist with coaching. I commend the more recent players for sticking up for themselves whereas former athletes in the program chose to endure his insensitive comments and tyrannical coaching ways. He has been so abusive that he was recently investigated and penalized. After the allegations against John Margaritis came to the forefront Coach Giuliana was terminated shortly after due to unknown reasons.

To put this into perspective for people familiar with the program; how many alumni do you see interacting with him and returning to support the program? How many post game interviews do you remember where players vocalized their like for Margaritis? The answer is slim to none. I truly believe the current players are in danger due to Coach Giuliana’s unjust removal. The current players have lost a great coach, role model, and a person that has served as a voice of reason for the young women in the program since entering the program in 2011.

Instead of firing Coach Giuliana UCR Athletics and athletic director Tamica Jones should be held accountable for what has transpired. But most importantly they should be supporting our athletes and taking their concerns seriously! The players voicing their concerns have lead to a slap on the wrist for Margaritis while sending a clear message to him, their abuser, that he can mistreat them and get away with it. The fans, former players, and the public would like to know WHY Coach Giuliana was fired without notice. Sign this petition in support of Coach Giuliana and current or former athletes that have been mistreated by John Margaritis and UCR Athletics.

**THIS PETITION IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH GIULIANA MENDIOLA IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM!**

If you would like to know more about the way UCR Athletics and their director, Tamica Jones, operates read the articles of the links provided below. These articles will provide insight of Jones lack of professionalism through testimony from former staff, the firing Coach Cutts in 2016 just 3 weeks after renewing his contact, and her lack of knowledge of booster ran events which lead to various donors pulling their support from UCR Athletics.

https://www.pe.com/2018/01/02/alexander-cutts-firing-at-ucr-still-baffling-and-underexplained/

Firing of Dennis Cutts in school parking lot

Losing donors support at booster ran event