North West baseball players detail abuse allegations that got coach fired

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CHICAGO (CBS) — A day after Northwestern University fired baseball coach Jim Foster amid allegations of bullying and abusive behavior, two players are speaking out.

Foster, who had only been in the job for one season, was fired just three days after Northwestern fired football coach Pat Fitzgerald over a hazing scandal.

Two former players, who asked to remain anonymous, said they were both relieved to hear from Northwestern chairman Michael Schill and athletic director Dr Derrick Gragg in a meeting on Thursday evening, hours before the date limit to enter the NCAA transfer portal.

Foster had been investigated for allegedly creating a toxic culture during his only season at the school. Several assistants left after a year and at least 15 players entered the transfer portal.

A Northwestern player who spoke to CBS 2’s Marshall Harris on Friday is still on the team, and one could be back next season.

They shared stories of bullying, racism and sexism during Foster’s short tenure, but it was how he interacted with his coaching staff in front of them that really struck them.

“It’s like a disrespect to other adults that has really soaked up the experience of several coaches, and I think if you have the opportunity to talk to the coaches who have left, or the assistant volunteer who was there all year, you’ll hear much more in-depth stories about that,” one player said. “It’s not even like a correction; like, he’s not trying to help. He’s not trying to put things right. shocked. I just, I had never seen that.”

Difficult week for Northwestern after firing 2 coaches amid scandal

“It shouldn’t have taken these allegations in the media for him to come out to be fired. Just on principle, we went 10 and 40, and we had a talented roster. We lost 15 guys in the transfer portal and three staff members have resigned. Like…there is absolutely something wrong,” another player said.

A player has questioned why it took so long to fire Foster, saying the cause of his dismissal was known four or five weeks ago through polls, commentary and interviews.

“It takes them until the media starts publishing stories, accounts, reports, evidence in the public eye; then it’s like, ‘Okay, we have to make a change.’ So that was definitely one of my main concerns, and certainly very frustrating for me,” he said.

This player is still in the team. He said after Thursday’s meeting with Gragg and Schill he was happy and hopeful for the team’s future.

Both players said they like having former White Sox outfielder Brian Anderson in charge at the moment, knowing he could well become interim coach next season.

Selected in the first round of the 2003 MLB Draft by the Chicago White Sox, Anderson played five seasons in Major League Baseball. In 2005, he won a World Series with the White Sox as a backup outfielder.

CBS 2 has repeatedly asked the department to speak to Schill and Gragg.

The school’s associate athletic director said Friday, “We’re very focused on families and student staff at this time, and that will be Northwestern’s priority. I don’t expect any interviews.”

Marshal Harris

Marshall Harris is the athletic director of CBS2 Chicago.

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