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At the beginning of this year, the Northwestern football program announced it had launched an investigation into hazing allegations within the program.
On Friday, July 7, the university announced its results.
As a result of the investigation, Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald has been suspended after the coaching staff had “significant opportunities to discover and report” the “credible” allegations.
Fitzgerald has been suspended for two weeks without pay and the university has banned off-campus practices in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Coach Pat Fitzgerald will serve a two-week, unpaid suspension beginning today and other measures have been implemented, including no more off-campus practices in Kenosha, Wisconsin, where the team trained in August for years.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) July 7, 2023
After news of the suspension broke, Fitzgerald issued a statement acknowledging his disappointment.
“I was very disappointed when I heard about the allegations of hazing on our football team,” he said. “Although I was not aware of the alleged incidents, I have spoken to University officials, and they informed me of a two-week suspension, effective immediately.
“Northwestern football prides itself on producing not just athletes, but fine young men with character befitting the program and our University. We hold our student-athletes and our program to the highest standards; we will continue to work to exceed those standards moving forward.”
Northwestern opens its season on the road on September 3 against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.