Eight Players Ejected After Brawl at Sun Belt Tournament in Pensacola

Bench-Clearing Brawl Erupts at Women's Sun Belt Tournament

A brawl between South Alabama and Coastal Carolina during the women's Sun Belt Tournament in Pensacola, Florida, on Wednesday led to eight players being ejected and a referee requiring medical attention after being knocked to the floor.

The incident occurred with less than six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of the game. The confrontation began under the basket when South Alabama player Cordasia Harris and Coastal Carolina player Tracey Hueston started fighting. Harris appeared to bump Hueston slightly from behind, after which Hueston turned and began pushing and swinging at Harris. Harris then pushed back.

Referee Injured and Evaluated by Medical Personnel

Video of the altercation showed two referees, multiple teammates and staff members moving in quickly in an attempt to separate the players. During the melee, referee Marla Gearhar was knocked to the floor. Gearhar lay motionless on her back as order was restored. She appeared to be hit in the head or neck area by Hueston while the referee was trying to push Hueston away from Harris.

Multiple staff members, a medical professional, and a sheriff's deputy came onto the court after the fight ended. Gearhar was evaluated by medical personnel at the arena and was released, according to an announcement from the conference.

Eight Players Ejected, Postseason Suspensions Issued

Officials assessed technical fouls to both Hueston and Harris and ejected them from the game, along with six other players who took part in the fight. Following the game, further disciplinary actions were confirmed.

Coastal Carolina's Tracey Hueston received a suspension for the remainder of the 2026 postseason. South Alabama players Harris, Amyah Sutton, and Daniela Gonzalez were each suspended for one game. South Alabama Athletics Director Joel Erdmann later stated that, after an extensive internal review, he did not believe the actions of all three South Alabama student-athletes met the NCAA definition of fighting, but he confirmed that the suspensions would affect their postseason participation.

Game Result and Next Matchup for South Alabama

Despite the disruption, the game in Pensacola concluded with South Alabama defeating Coastal Carolina by a score of 80-70. South Alabama is scheduled to face Texas State on Thursday in the Sun Belt Tournament.

Erdmann said that Sutton, Gonzalez, and Harris will not be allowed to play in the upcoming game against Texas State due to their suspensions.