Actions 'Of A Few' Do Not Define Northwestern Athletics: Letter

EVANSTON, IL — More than 1,000 former Northwestern athletes have signed a letter supporting the school’s athletic department in the wake of a hazing scandal that has led to more than a dozen lawsuits and the dismissal of two coaches.

The letter, issued on Thursday, “strongly condemns” hazing in any form and generally has no place in collegiate sports and university life, the letter states. While the former athletes said that they share in the anger, sadness, and frustration of those who say they were victims of what attorneys have characterized as extreme sexual hazing, the former Northwestern athletes do not believe “the actions of a few” should define the university or its athletic department.

“Northwestern student-athlete's dedication across sports and education is unparalleled, and while an individual’s four years are marked with highs and lows on the playing fields, courts, and classrooms, this letter is a testament to the positive and enriching experiences so many of us had,” the former athletes said in a news release accompanying the letter.

The athletes said that in addition to condemning hazing, they support the victims during their time of healing and recovery.

The scandal, which has included lawsuits brought by former football and volleyball players, along with those who participated in other sports, has led to the firing of longtime Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald. Former Northwestern baseball coach Jim Foster was dismissed amid allegations that he bullied players and created a toxic environment.

This week, two former Northwestern assistant baseball coaches, Dusty Napoleon and Jon Strauss, and former director of baseball operations Chris Beacom, filed a lawsuit claiming they lost their jobs as retaliation after raising concerns over Foster’s behavior.

Attorneys for former Northwestern students said they expect to file dozens of more lawsuits as more former athletes bring raise concerns over allegations of hazing and sexual assault. While the lawsuits have claimed Northwestern officials allowed for a culture that allowed for hazing and other abuse throughout the athletic department, the former athletes who wrote the letter released on Thursday paint a different picture.

In the letter, the athletes who represent a number of sports offered by the school “strongly affirm” the positive experiences they had at the university and, if offered the opportunity, “would do it all over again.”

“The level of competitiveness required in college athletics is formidable and the same is required in the classroom at NU,” the letter states. “The opportunity to compete at this level in both the classroom and in our respective sports is unique and deeply valued. These experiences were the building blocks for each of our lives after graduation.

“This is the Northwestern we proudly came to know and appreciate, and for which we are immensely grateful.”

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