Second lawsuit filed against Northwestern brass over hazing scandal

Northwestern is now embroiled in a series of lawsuits following allegations that hazing within the program rose to the level of sexual harassment. A second lawsuit stemming from the hazing scandal was filed against Northwestern leadership on Tuesday, according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg.

The lawsuit, filed by an ex-Northwestern player against the school, its trustees, coach Pat Fitzgerald, athletics director Derrick Gragg and the current and former university president, also lists former athletics director Jim Phillips as a defendant.

Phillips is now the ACC commissioner.

The lawsuits filed against Northwestern allege that the program and its leaders were negligent in allowing hazing inside the team’s locker room.

Already as a result of the hazing scandal the program has fired Fitzgerald, the long-time football coach. A first suit against Northwestern targeted Fitzgerald, among several others.

“The lawsuit also lists the university, its board of trustees and former president Morton Schapiro as defendants,” a report from ESPN read. “The player filed anonymously, but the lawsuit says he was a member of the team from 2018 through 2022.

“His attorneys, Patrick Salvi and Parker Stinar, said they have spoken to other former Northwestern players and expect additional football players and Northwestern athletes from other sports to join the lawsuit in the coming days and weeks.”

Stinar reportedly spoke to roughly a dozen players who played at the school over the course of the last 15 years who may have been involved in the hazing scandal. The player who filed the lawsuit Tuesday was subjected to hazing that included racial discrimination and sexualized acts.

“As an incoming freshman, because freshmen were the most targeted for sexual harassment and hazing, it’s just such an intimidating process,” Stinar said, via ESPN. “It really makes you lose faith in the program and your coaches. It makes you lose the love of your sport.

“It makes you feel deceived that you came to this university after recruiters and coaches came to your home and sat down with your parents and promised you’d be safe and protected. It’s had a profound impact on this young individual.”

Northwestern did not comment on the pending litigation surrounding the hazing scandal but released a statement via ESPN.