Audit: Bocanegra followed policy in cases of rhabdo

University of Houston women’s soccer coach Diego Bocanegra and school officials “acted appropriately” and followed policy in response to several players being hospitalized on two separate occasions, according to findings of an internal audit released Thursday.

A months-long audit, conducted by the Audit and Compliance Committee of the UH System Board of Regents, investigated two incidents within the soccer program that led to several players being diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, or rhabdo, a severe syndrome caused by muscle damage.

A Jan. 23 workout “was not a punishment workout” but included “a strenuous exercise that should not have been used during the first workout after (winter) break,” according to the audit. As a result, six student-athletes were hospitalized overnight for rhabdo and nine others received treatment and were released the same day.

Another five student-athletes were diagnosed with rhabdo during a workout on Feb. 9, 2018, that included 250 to 350 “up-downs” and was described as “torture” by an anonymous player in a series of reports by KPRC-TV. The audit concluded former strength and conditioning coach Minor Bowens “ignored guidelines and took responsibility” for the 2018 workout. Bowens was fired Feb. 4.

While there was no policy prohibiting “punishment” workouts, Bocanegra, who just completed his third season as head coach, “acted appropriately, although he should have stopped the February 2018 workout before it became excessive,” the audit said.