Northwestern fires coach Pat Fitzgerald after hazing allegations surface with football team-May Have Started in Kenosha

FILE – Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald stands on the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Michigan, Oct. 23, 2021, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Northwestern has fired Fitzgerald Monday, July 10, 2023, amid a hazing scandal that called into question his leadership of the program and damaged the university’s reputation after it mishandled its response to the allegations. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

Pete Serzant, WLIP News

KENOSHA, WI (WLIP)–The alleged hazing scandal that brought down Northwestern’s football coach may have started in Kenosha.

Northwestern fired coach Pat Fitzgerald yesterday amid allegations of sexualized hazing of freshmen team members who made mistakes on the field.

The school also announced that it will no longer send its football team to UW-Parkside for summer training camp as it has since the 1990’s.

Fitzgerald began a two-week suspension on Friday after the school said an investigation by a law firm did not find “sufficient” evidence that the coaching staff knew about ongoing hazing — though there were “significant opportunities” to find out about it.

The Daily Northwestern then published a story on Saturday detailing allegations from a former player who described specific instances of hazing and sexual abuse.

Reports say that Northwestern confirmed that the incidents may have started during the Kenosha practices.

The report also indicated that Fitzgerald “may have known that hazing took place.” “Camp Kenosha” as the practices were known has been “permanently discontinued.”

The AP contributed to this report