The hits keep on coming for the Northwestern football program. Amid a slew of other allegations and lawsuits, the program is now being accused of racially-charged hazing and mistreatment.
Speaking to ESPN, former Wildcats offensive lineman Ramon Diaz said he’s filing a lawsuit against the school, alleging he was hazed and mistreated in the program largely because of his race.
Via ESPN:
“Diaz, an offensive lineman for the Wildcats from 2005 to 2008, alleges that he was subjected to hazing that included the mocking of his Mexican heritage along with ‘microaggressions’ from comments made by former offensive line coach Bret Ingalls as well as sexualized acts that have previously been alleged by other former players.
“He says several Northwestern coaches witnessed hazing incidents or should have been aware of them. The lawsuit claims that two former assistants — Ingalls and James Patton, who also coached the offensive line — made “racist, embarrassing, degrading, and harassing remarks” toward Diaz and other players. According to the lawsuit, Ingalls and Matt MacPherson, a longtime Northwestern assistant still with the program, witnessed hazing incidents and “took no action to address and/or prevent” them from happening.”
Diaz alleges that former Northwestern tight ends coach Adam Cushing should have been aware of the hazing and mistreatment. Cushing is now the offensive line coach at Duke and was formerly head coach at Eastern Illinois.
“There is a culture that has been condoned by the athletic department and university that has allowed these coaches to behave the way they do,” Diaz said. “I believe focus should be shifted toward the athletic department specifically, but Northwestern at large. The atmosphere will not change systematically if that does not happen.”
Northwestern has already fired Pat Fitzgerald as their head coach.