University of Alabama at Birmingham softball coach Taylor Smartt was not with her team at the end of the regular season and during the American Athletic Conference tournament this week as she faces allegations of mental and verbal abuse, physical abuse, and a possible inappropriate relationship with a player. Smartt, 34, was hired as the Blazers' head coach in August 2024, and the alleged incidents began shortly after, according to a report from Sports Illustrated's Softball on SI.