Riverside Player Quits in Protest : Women’s basketball: Vargas says she left team after teammates physically threatened her because of comments she had made about the program.

Monica Vargas, defensive player of the year for the UC Riverside women’s basketball team last season, quit the team under protest Friday.

Vargas, a junior, said the players and coaching staff harassed her after she was quoted in a story in The Times last week. The story detailed problems some players have had with the team’s coach, Debi Woelke, and the university’s administration.

Vargas said her teammates surrounded her after practice on Monday and physically threatened her. Many also signed a letter calling Vargas disloyal and demanding she quit the team.

Vargas attended Thursday’s practice but said that her teammates ignored her and Woelke refused to speak directly to her. Vargas added that all players except her were given assignments and required to participate in drills during practice.

Vargas left practice after about 40 minutes. She said another player told her that players applauded and cheered and the coaches laughed when Vargas left.

“I just want to play basketball, that’s all,” Vargas said. “I guess, in a way, they win, because they wanted me to quit. I don’t know why all this has happened, just because I told the truth.”

Vargas had been on probation for being late for practice and other violations of team rules.

Neither Woelke nor Athletic Director John Masi could be reached for comment Friday.