"Swimming on this team was one of the worst decisions I've ever made. The money that was offered/given was not worth spending as much time in her program as I did. She definitely created an environment where her were favorites were known and if you were not one of them, you were pushed to the side. The team culture was awful and the day to day vibe of the team was based on if she was in a good mood at practice or not. She was disorganized and took a lot of her frustration out on the team during practice. She would single people out in front of the whole team instead of having a one on one conversation with the athlete privately. Singling an athlete out was not always done directly by her but also by making the athlete themselves stand in front of the team and explain to them why they missed a practice (normally for sickness), had to make a certain decision about the sport, etc. This made it very challenging to enjoy the sport and practices because you were always on edge about making her mad or making a mistake that you would have to explain later on. The actual work that was done in practice was tailored towards the sprint/mid-distance freestylers and backstrokers on the team and left a lot of the stroke swimmers falling behind on sets and intervals that did not provide any benefit to them. While she has background swimming for the team and coaching for several years, she never understood the concept that every swimmer responds differently to different coaching styles. She struggled to get through to many swimmers on her team which resulted in that loss of connection with her athletes and in turn the athletes themselves as many would quit or leave. In about the span of a year, more than a few swimmers either quit or left the team. The overall team environment was very negative, because instead of creating a space where athletes uplifted their teammates and cheered each other on, Lilly created a space where the athletes hated the sport and couldn't wait until their time in the program was over. You play a sport in college because you strive to be better or because you just aren't quite ready to say goodbye to the sport you love. You do not, however, play a sport to be torn down by your team let alone your coach, which is what would happen weekly during my time in the program."

"I played for Megan from 2018 - 2022 and I am still recovering for the trauma this woman gave me. I got playing time and she still hated me. She told me no one on the team liked me and that my personality will take me no where. I would have rather chop off my leg than play for her again. "

"Has been nothing but knowledgeable, professional, and great coaching my daughter. We are lucky to have someone of her caliber leading our program. Thoughtful, reasonable, hold the girls to more than reasonable standards. Players are lucky to have someone like her by their side."

"My experience with Coach Whitney Goldstein was deeply troubling and, unfortunately, far from the supportive and respectful environment that college athletics should foster. While she often presents herself to parents and recruits as a caring and committed coach, my experience and that of many others tells a very different story. Whitney Goldstein frequently demeaned players with comments such as, “You all f***ing disgust me,” and, “You shouldn’t be able to sleep looking at yourself in the mirror.” This language was not only inappropriate, but it also contributed to a toxic environment that damaged team morale and individual mental health. Beyond verbal abuse, there were serious concerns about violations of federal FERPA regulations and the University of Rhode Island’s codes of conduct. Additionally, certain actions and statements made by Whitney Goldstein toward specific players raised clear concerns of homophobia and racism. These behaviors prompted 17 individuals to come forward alongside legal counsel to report and challenge her conduct… and she resigned the day of the decision! Contrary to the narrative that criticism of Whitney Goldstein in other posts stems solely from players upset over playing time, I can speak for myself in saying that playing time was not the issue. My concern was about being treated with basic human dignity and respect both as a player and as a person. Unfortunately, Coach Goldstein consistently failed to provide that. We were young women, 18 to 22, looking for leadership, guidance, and trust. Instead, we were met with hostility and manipulation that turned us against one another and damaged our love for the game. No coach especially one entrusted with the development of young women should be permitted to lead in this manner. This woman should never be able to be a figure in a young woman’s life. Not as a coach and definitely not as a person"

"Disrespectful, name calling, bully. Stopped filming practices because she knew what she was doing and made sure it wasn’t filmed."

"Motivational, and helped our player gain confidence and want to keep going back to clinics. Staff was great. Direct and clear. Personable and family orientated. "

"Great teacher of the game- motivated high energy, relates to players. Loves to teach the game and develop players. Has helped our player gain confidence, advance skill work, and trustful relationship."

"One of the most knowledgeable coaches I have been around. Develops and teaches the game at a high level. Develops culture and works for consistency in human/athlete on and off the field. Is honest, direct, and overly communicates during practices so there is clear understanding of game IQ and why skills are being taught. Expectation is high, positive attitudes, high work ethic. Will not tolerate poor body language or lack in teammate ability. Will play those most consistent day to day at practice. "

"Positive, Develops. Cares about person, student, athlete. Staff stayed at work to listen to my daughter’s presentation that she had the next day to allow her to practice in front of an audience. Beautiful holiday dinners, hosted home dinners, goal setting, community engagement, team building activities. To my knowledge she also championed the new branding in the women’s locker room area, along with all major upgrades the program has received the last few years, which hasn’t happened in decades. Program was elevated under her. Staff was dedicated, committed, and were true community members. "