Northwestern College fired longtime head soccer coach Pat Fitzgerald on Monday after an investigation discovered his gamers had participated in widespread hazing practices, together with compelled nudity and sexualized acts.
His firing got here three days after the college mentioned Fitzgerald, who had been head coach of the Wildcats since 2006, could be suspended with out pay for 2 weeks after the investigation discovered the hazing allegations to be credible.
Michael Schill, Northwestern’s president, mentioned in a statement that the choice to fireside Fitzgerald, 48, got here “after a tough and complicated analysis” of his earlier self-discipline and after discussions with the board of trustees, college students, alumni and Fitzgerald.
“The choice to droop Coach Fitzgerald initially was mine and mine alone, as was the choice to half methods with him,” mentioned Schill.
The announcement of the resignation got here later That reports the Daily Northwestern on Saturday {that a} participant, asking for anonymity from the newspaper, accused gamers of punishing principally freshmen for a sexual act wherein about 10 teammates restrained a youthful participant. The Daily Northwestern also reported on Monday that three former soccer gamers mentioned that there was a racist tradition within the soccer program.
Fitzgerald, a Northwest alumnus who performed linebacker as a pupil, was not instantly accessible for remark, and his legal professional didn’t instantly reply to a name or e-mail asking for remark late Monday evening. However Fitzgerald advised ESPN in an announcement that he was “shocked” to study that Schill had withdrawn their “mutual settlement” concerning the two-week suspension “with none discover and subsequently terminated my employment.”
He added that his agent and legal professional “will take all mandatory steps to guard my rights in accordance with the legislation.”
University research, carried out by Maggie Hickey of the legislation agency ArentFox Schiff, was prompted by an nameless grievance from a student-athlete in November 2022 and lasted six months. The investigation discovered no proof that Fitzgerald knew concerning the hazing — though it was “identified to many in this system,” Schill mentioned.
Some gamers “thought the hazing was in jest and never dangerous,” however others mentioned it prompted “vital harm with long-term penalties,” in keeping with the legislation agency’s investigation.
Schill mentioned that, to his data, “no pupil has suffered bodily hurt on account of this conduct.”
Nonetheless, he mentioned, the pinnacle coach was accountable for crew tradition, and the investigation discovered that hazing was “widespread and clearly not a secret inside the program, giving Coach Fitzgerald an opportunity to study what was occurring.”
Fitzgerald had been a pillar of the school soccer program, from his enjoying days as a linebacker serving to the crew attain the Rose Bowl, to his rise by means of the teaching ranks, ultimately being named the 2018 Massive Ten Coach of the 12 months. He gained 5 bowl video games and had a 110–101 file because the crew’s head coach. Final season, Northwestern went 1-11.
