UWGB Coach Wardle, Hinsdale Central Grad, Accused of Mistreating Player

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay coach Brian Wardle, a graduate of Hinsdale Central High School, is facing an investigation after a former player filed a complaint accusing him of repeated mistreatment and abuse, the details of which went public on Monday, USA Today reports.

According to the paper, 7'1" walk-on Ryan Bross claims that Coach Wardle regularly harangued him with homophobic and sexually derogatory language, mocked his religious commitment to chastity by telling him he’d play better if he had sex with a girl, and once ignored Bross’ professed physical illness, instead forcing the player to run hills until he lost control of his bowels into his shorts.

“[Then] Wardle told me I was a piece of [expletive] and that he had never seen such a big [expletive] in his life and that I was the biggest piece of [expletive] he had ever seen,” Bross recalled to the Green Bay Press-Gazette in an interview.

“They made me walk through the Kress Center in front of 20 people… I felt terrible. I felt like I let down the team and everyone down, and the coaches kept reminding me and telling me. They told me what a piece of [expletive] I was; that I was terrible.”

The mother of another former player, Brennan Cougill, is also alleging that Wardle regularly bullied her son and ignored his struggle with depression, ESPN reports.

According to multiple news outlets, Wardle repudiated the allegations in a statement.

"I can assure you the well-being of my players is foremost in my mind at all times," Wardle said in the statement. "I cannot comment on the specific allegations under federal privacy laws. I can say the version of events you are reporting is inaccurate. I have fully cooperated with the independent investigator, as have our players and coaches. I fully expect the eyewitnesses to these allegations you are reporting will contradict the version you are reporting."

Wardle became the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I basketball when he was hired in April 2010 by Wisconsin-Green Bay. His current record with the Phoenix over three seasons is 47-49. In an interview with Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Patch in 2011, he said that he was “all about building strong relationships with my players.”

“I’m going to be demanding so they reach their potential,” he said. “I’m quick to discipline you, but I’ll be their biggest cheerleader when you do things right.”

Read more at the Green Bay Press-Gazette, USA Today and ESPN.