Nine current and former Stanford University cheerleaders allege their head coach fostered an environment of intimidation, neglected injured athletes and pushed students to their physical and emotional breaking points.

The cheerleaders, speaking to the Stanford Daily, accused head coach Sarah Levine of routinely berating them, publicly humiliating them and at least once pressuring an injured member to return to the mat before he had recovered.

“It’s probably the most visibly abusive experience that I’ve ever had in my life,” said a former cheerleader identified by the Daily as Rush, who claims he suffered a concussion during his time on the team.

“I felt like I could not leave because I was too scared to leave.”

Levine has led the elite California university’s squad for 18 years and has not responded to The Post’s request for comment.

Of the nine students and alumni, two spoke to the Stanford Daily on the condition of partial anonymity to protect their online presence, while seven spoke anonymously because they feared retaliation.

One of the most alarming alleged accounts involved Rush, who claimed Levine dismissed his concerns about returning to stunting shortly after he suffered a bicycle accident that left him with stitches on his forehead in October 2024.

About a week and a half after the accident, Rush said he returned to practice despite feeling uncomfortable.

“I pointed out my scar on my head and said I want to be super careful it does not [get hit] and take the stitches out,” he told the Daily.

Levine allegedly assured him he would be fine.

But during the practice, another cheerleader fell from a stunt while Rush was spotting, sending the weight of the fall on to his head. Despite walking off the court in pain, Rush said Levine allegedly told him to repeat the stunt.

Later that evening, he reportedly began struggling to concentrate and was stuttering while speaking with a friend.

After contacting Levine and telling her he believed he had suffered a concussion, Levine allegedly dismissed the possibility and suggested waiting until the following morning to see Stanford Athletics doctors, according to the Daily.

Instead, he went to the emergency room that night and was diagnosed with a minor concussion, according to medical records reviewed by the Daily.

Rush said he was particularly upset after learning Levine had allegedly told teammates his concussion was caused by the earlier bicycle accident.

“I got really upset by it because I warned her that this would happen, and she told me that wouldn’t happen,” he told the Daily.

“And then I got the concussion, and now she’s telling me it’s my fault for getting the concussion, not hers.” Pictured: The team performing in a file photo. There is no suggestion those pictured are among the nine students making the claims against the head coach.

Rush eventually returned to the squad, but quit after another incident in which he was struck in the head during a stunt and alleged Levine yelled at him for walking off the court.

Another former cheerleader, identified as Ashley, described suffering a serious back injury during an additional practice that she said lacked adequate safety equipment and enough teammates to spot the stunts, according to the Daily.

The session was held on a hard volleyball court with temporary mats instead of the spring floor normally used by the team. Ashley claimed to the Daily that concerns about gaps between the mats were brushed aside by Levine and assistant coaches.

Ashley said she fell forward while attempting a new stunt, experiencing sharp pain śh́óóting up her back and spine.

Despite the injury, she claimed coaches expected her to resume stunting after missing just one or two practices, according to the report.

Months later, she said she reinjured the same area of her back during another practice.

Even after seeking medical attention, Ashley said she felt pressured to provide extensive documentation to justify sitting out of performances.

The allegations extended beyond physical safety, with multiple former cheerleaders describing what they characterized as a culture of public humiliation, favoritism and toxicity.

One former member, identified as Mark, filed a formal complaint with Stanford Athletics in October 2025, accusing Levine of abusing her coaching authority, according to the Daily.

“She verbally abused and humiliated me by yelling at me in front of the entire team,” Mark wrote in the complaint, which the Daily obtained and reviewed.

“I was met with unprofessionalism. Levine was not performing constructive coaching. Rather [her coaching] was a demeaning act.”

Mark said that the experience led him to take antidepressants. He eventually left the squad after the 2023-24 season, questioning whether he could endure another year.

Other cheerleaders described to the Daily Levine allegedly berating students while they were crying, publicly mocking mistakes and creating an atmosphere in which teammates reported on one another to gain her approval.

The Post has reached out to Stanford Athletics and the university for comment. The Assistant Athletics Director told the Daily: “Stanford Athletics will continue to prioritize and support the health, safety and well-being of all individuals affiliated with its student support groups.”