A former volleyball player has filed a lawsuit alleging bullying took place on the Northwestern University women’s volleyball team. Weber Arch at Northwestern University pictured in 2020, in Evanston, Ill.
Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune/TNS/abacapress.com via Reuters
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Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune/TNS/abacapress.com via Reuters
A former volleyball player has filed a lawsuit alleging bullying took place on the Northwestern University women’s volleyball team. Weber Arch at Northwestern University pictured in 2020, in Evanston, Ill.
Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune/TNS/abacapress.com via Reuters
A former Northwestern University volleyball player has filed a lawsuit against the university, alleging school officials failed to properly address a bullying incident that occurred two years ago.
The player, who was identified in the lawsuit as “Jane Doe 1,” was the first female college athlete to come forward amid reports of bullying behavior on campus. school football program.
In a 25-page lawsuit filed Monday, Jane Doe alleges she was subjected to “bullying, harassment, bullying, and retaliation” while a member of the Northwestern volleyball team.
The lawsuit names Northwestern University, president Michael Schilll, former president Morton Schapiro, the school’s board of trustees, college vice president of athletics and recreation Derrick Gragg, former college vice president of athletics and recreation James Phillips, and head volleyball coach Shane Davis as defendants.
Doe is seeking at least $50,000 in damages and a jury trial.
According to the lawsuit, the former athlete says she suffered an unspecified injury in March 2021 while running a suicide – a conditioning exercise that involves sprinting of different lengths on the field – as a form of punishment for allegedly violating the team’s COVID-19 guidelines.
Jane Doe said Northwestern volleyball coach Shane Davis and an assistant coach informed her she would face “punishment” for violating COVID-19 guidelines and the next day, the coaches allowed the team captains to choose her punishment.
When she committed the suicides, the volleyball coaching staff, team members and coach watched, the lawsuit says.
Following the injury, the university responded by conducting an investigation in which it suspended the team’s coach and coaching staff, Northwestern officials told NPR in a statement.
Jane Doe also alleges that after the investigation and until December 2022, she had “never played a volleyball game” — while the coaches kicked her out and made her write letters of apology to the coaches without good reason.
Doe also alleges that she was not allowed to go with the team, despite having previously done so.
In an emailed statement to NPR, Northwestern University spokesman Jon Yates said the school is working to ensure it has “appropriate accountability” for its athletics department.
“Although this incident predates the tenure of President Schil and Director of Athletics Gragg at the University, each one is taking it seriously,” Yates said.
Attorneys Patrick Salvi II and Parker Stinar, who represent the unnamed former athlete, told NPR that a request to continue the lawsuit without naming her is still pending.
“We have a university here where many brave young men and women stand up for themselves, and we hope that is a sign of things to come, where student-athletes are not abused in pursuit of victory for the school but are treated as they are,” Salvi said.
Salvi and Stinar have also filed three lawsuits alleging football program bullying.
On Monday, prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump and members of a law firm in Chicago along with a Northwestern alumni-athlete announced another lawsuit related to the football program.
The lawsuit is the first of what is expected to be a series of filings on behalf of several Northwest players, Crump said. The bullying allegations come weeks after the former Head coach Pat Fitzgerald fired by the university.
Earlier this month, the Northwest also Fire the head coach of the baseball team Jim Foster after reports of toxic culture in the baseball show emerged.
Chicago radio station 670 Score reports that Foster also allegedly made racist statements and discouraged players from reporting their injuries. When asked by the radio station about the allegations, he denied all allegations, calling them “ridiculous”.
A spokesperson for Northwest Athletics declined to comment on the investigation and Foster’s termination.
