Cumberland University community reacts to Pamela Rogers Turner case

Reaction to the arrest of a former Cumberland University basketball player accused of having consensual sex with an elementary school student was one of sadness.
Pamela Rogers Turner, 27, was charged Monday with 15 counts of sexual battery by an authority figure and 13 counts of statutory rape. All charges involve the same 13-year-old boy, who was Turner's student, and has attracted national media attention.
Turner played basketball at Cumberland University in Lebanon from 1997-99, helping the Lady Bulldogs to the Mid-South Conference tournament championship and NAIA National Championships in '99. She was named homecoming queen in '97, months after transferring from Tennessee Tech.
"Everyone's sad to learn about the situation because she comes from a great family, good parents. It's just an unfortunate situation," said athletic director Pat Lawson, who was a graduate student at CU when Turner played there. "When she was at Cumberland, she was a great basketball player, a good person and a good teammate. The kids on the team liked her. She was enjoyable to be around."
Lynn Bogle was Cumberland's athletic director when Turner played and has served as the radio play-by-play man the past 12 years.
"I wasn't on the court with her everyday at practice, but I saw her at games," Bogle said, noting then-coach Cheryl Nix never came to his office with a problem concerning her. "Obviously, I never saw any indication that this would happen. It seemed like she was a good student while at Cumberland, a good athlete."
Both men called the situation "sad," but emphasized she is innocent until proven guilty.
"It's just a sad situation," Lawson said. "Whatever her circumstances are for her to make choices like that, it's just heart-wrenching for her family and the family of that young boy.
"She needs to get herself straightened out, and basketball is not very important right now."
"If it weren't Pamela Rogers, you'd hate to hear it," Bogle said. "You just feel sick at your stomach.
"I am not condemning her because I guess they have to go through the judicial aspect to determine if she's guilty."
Turner is the daughter of legendary Clarkrange High girls coach Lamar Rogers. She was on his 1995 state championship team before playing two seasons at Tech.
After her basketball eligibility ran out, she returned to Tech where she finished her degree.
She recently divorced Warren County High boys basketball coach Chris Turner. She teaches physical education and coaches girls basketball at Centertown Elementary in Warren County.
Sports Editor Andy Reed can be reached at 444-3952 ext. 17 or by e-mail at andy.reed@lebanondemocrat.com.