First Northwestern Hazing Lawsuit Filed, Alleges School Enabled And Concealed Sexual Misconduct

The first lawsuit in what will likely be a stream of many has been filed against Northwestern in connection to alleged hazing.

An unnamed player identified as John Doe filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Cook County Court in Chicago against Pat Fitzgerald and members of the school's leadership, according to The Associated Press.

The player alleges the team's former head coach, university president Michael Schill, AD Derrick Gragg and the board of trustees "enabled and concealed sexual misconduct and racial discrimination," according to the same report.

The player's last season with the program was 2022, and he's represented by Salvi Law Firm.

Northwestern hit with lawsuit stemming from hazing scandal. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images)

"It wasn’t just confined to one bad actor. It wasn’t just confined to one team, like the football team. It also included a culture that was accepted and tolerated and encouraged on the baseball team and other sports teams, and also with men and women’s sports. So, it’s a tainted athletic department," attorney Parker Stinar told The AP when discussing the lawsuit.

Fitzgerald's lawyer wouldn't comment on the matter, according to the AP.

More lawsuits against Northwestern will likely follow.

It's very unlikely this is the last lawsuit Northwestern sees in connection to the hazing scandal that cost Pat Fitzgerald his job.

Ben Crump and the law firm Levin & Perconti are representing a group of eight unnamed players. It would appear a lawsuit from that group is absolutely imminent.

First Northwestern hazing lawsuit filed. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

You don't hire one of the most famous lawyers in America to just not do anything after the fact. It's a sign a major lawsuit is coming.

The following allegations were listed in the announcement eight players had lawyered up:

Allegations include forced naked acts, termed “bear-crawls,” “car-wash,” and “under-center snap”. Perhaps the most concerning is a ritual known as “running,” where eight to ten upperclassmen wearing masks would restrain a player and “dry-hump” them in front of the rest of the team. Other incidents include the “Gatorade Shake Challenge,” causing physical discomfort to the extent of sickness and vomiting. Furthermore, at least three former players have alleged a culture of racism within the program, with black coaches and players pressured to cut off longer hairstyles to fit the “Wildcat Way.”

Pat Fitzgerald was fired after hazing allegations.

The situation continues to descend into chaos in Evanston. Pat Fitzgerald was initially suspended following an investigation into hazing allegations.

The investigation found it was unlikely Fitzgerald had any idea what was going on. However, he's the head man in charge, and thus, received a slap in the wrist.

That quickly changed when The Daily Northwestern released more information, and Fitzgerald was fired shortly afterwards. One of the allegations that seemed to change the dynamics was the claim a whiteboard was in the locker room listing hazing activities and names.

Now, Northwestern has a legal mess on its hands. Make sure to check back for whatever developments might still be coming.