Three former Northwestern baseball staffers are planning on filing a lawsuit against the school for retaliatory discharge, harassment, bullying and abuse by former baseball coach Jim Foster.
Foster and other administrators will also be named as defendants.
Former assistant coaches Dusty Napoleon and Jon Strauss and former director of baseball operations Chris Beacom allege that Foster had created such a toxic atmosphere that they didn’t want to travel with the team.
And when they brought it to the attention of the athletic department, the lawsuit alleges that they were retaliated against.
The suit also alleges “charges of racism, sexism and egregious tortious conduct, including unwarranted retaliation,” according to WGN.
The treatment was allegedly in retaliation for reporting NCAA violations by Foster to the university.
Foster was fired on July 13 after a university investigation found evidence that he had “engaged in bullying and abusive behavior,” “made an inappropriate comment regarding a female staff member and spoke negatively about his staff to other staff members.”
“The prejudicial and biased attitude of the former head coach that also included the mismanagement of the players and staff ultimately led to Foster’s firing, something that should have been done months ago,” said Christopher J. Esbrook, attorney for the Plaintiffs. “Northwestern had a responsibility to the players as well as to its staff to provide a safe and secure working environment.
“The Athletic Department, as well as those overseeing that department, failed in every way. These men tried to do the right thing, and Northwestern let down the entire team and community in its negligent handling of the matter.”
His firing came just days after Northwestern fired head football coach Pat Fitzgerald following a hazing investigation.
A press conference is scheduled for Monday to announce the filing of the complaint.
The university has faced several lawsuits since the hazing scandal with the football program became headline news.
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