A college football head coach has been suspended following a hazing investigation by the school. Pat Fitzgerald, the head coach of the Northwestern Wildcats Football Team, is suspended for two weeks after an investigation found evidence to support a claim of problematic conduct, according to ESPN. The suspension will start on Friday, and Fitzgerald will not be paid during his time away from the team.ย
“Northwestern football prides itself on producing not just athletes, but fine young men with character befitting the program and our University,” Fitzgerald said in a statement. “We hold our student-athletes and our program to the highest standards; we will continue to work to exceed those standards moving forward.” ย
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Northwestern launched the investigation in January and found one claim from an anonymous whistleblower was supported despite not having sufficient evidence that coaches knew about the conduct. An executive summary said the hazing incidents occurred in the team locker room and possibly began at “Camp Kenosha,” which is where the team spent a week of the preseason until 2020.
“Hazing in any form is unacceptable and goes against our core values at Northwestern, where we strive to make the University a safe and welcoming environment for all of our students,” university President Michael Schill said in a statement. “Our athletics programs are held to the highest standards, and in this case, we failed to meet them. I expect that today’s actions will prevent this from ever happening again.” ย
ESPN says the person who made the allegations spoke to investigators in December. Along with the suspension of Fitzgerald, Northwestern will no longer have off-campus practices in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where the team he preseason training for years.ย
“Northwestern Athletics prides itself on providing a world-class student-athlete experience, which includes a safe and respectful environment for all of our students, coaches and staff,” Northwestern athletic director Derrick Gragg said, per 247Sports. “We respect the courage of the individuals who came forward to make us aware of the issue, and we vow to do our part to create a more positive environment moving forward.” ย
Fitzgerald, 48, has been the head coach at Northwestern since 2006 but has been on the coaching staff since 2001. In his career, Fitzgerald has led Northwestern to 110 wins and two Big Ten West Division titles. However, 2022 was not a memorable season for the Wildcats, finishing the year with a 1-11 record.ย
