Examining the rapidly unfolding hazing scandal that led to the firing of Northwestern head football coach Pat Fitzgerald and threw the university into turmoil.
Pat Fitzgerald
During a hearing Tuesday, Fitzgerald’s attorney Dan Webb argued that the case would have to go to trial later this year in order for Fitzgerald to have any chance of getting a job during the next coaching cycle ahead of the 2025 college football season.
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Pat Fitzgerald’s attorney Dan Webb on Thursday announced that the former coach has filed a lawsuit in Cook County court against Northwestern and its president, Michael Schill, alleging the coach was “wrongfully and illegally terminated.”
Northwestern University is facing more than a dozen lawsuits across multiple sports with allegations including sexual abuse of players by teammates as well as racist comments by coaches and race-based assaults.
Northwestern Athletic Director Blasts Football Staffers for ‘Tone Deaf’ Shirts Supporting Fitzgerald
Northwestern is facing more than a dozen lawsuits across multiple sports with allegations including sexual abuse of players by teammates as well as racist comments by coaches and race-based assaults. Attorneys representing some of the athletes who have already sued say more are coming.
Ex-Attorney General Loretta Lynch to Lead Independent Investigation Amid Northwestern Hazing Scandal
University officials on Tuesday announced Lynch has been hired to examine the “processes and accountability mechanisms” already in place to detect, report and respond to potential misconduct across the NU athletics programs.
Pending litigation caused the three hand-picked players to skip Wednesday interviews, forcing interim coach David Braun to fend off questions about what happened and possible solutions all by himself.
The hazing scandal at Northwestern University has widened to include a volleyball player who on Monday became the first female athlete to sue the university over allegations she was retaliated against by the coach for reporting her mistreatment.
A group of 15 ex-Northwestern athletes represented by civil rights lawyer Ben Crump and Chicago-based colleagues say they plan to file suit against the university in the near future.
The player, identified in the lawsuit as John Doe, alleged Tuesday in the Cook County Court in Chicago that Fitzgerald, Northwestern University President Michael Schill, the board of trustees and athletic director Derrick Gragg enabled and concealed sexual misconduct and racial discrimination.
Northwestern baseball coach Jim Foster was fired Thursday amid allegations of misconduct, three days after football coach Pat Fitzgerald was dismissed because of a hazing scandal.
Northwestern Professors Urge University Officials to Halt $800M Stadium Amid Football Hazing Scandal
“Over the past decade, Northwestern has made major and high-profile investments in athletics. But disturbing evidence of harassment and abuse — and high-level efforts to minimize those problems — suggest that we need to get the existing house in order before expanding it,” six university professors wrote.
“Since Friday, I have kept going back to what we should reasonably expect from our head coaches, our faculty and our campus leaders,” Northwestern President Michael Schill said in a statement Monday evening. “And that is what led me to make this decision. The head coach is ultimately responsible for the culture of his team.
The investigation determined that Fitzgerald and other coaching staff members did not know about the hazing, but “there had been opportunities for them to discover and report the hazing conduct,” the university said in a news release.
“This is more than just a football stadium. This is going to become, we believe, an amazing community asset,” Coach Pat Fitzgerald said.
