Former Northwestern Volleyball Player: HC Shane Davis Enabled Hazing, Racism Culture | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

A former Northwestern volleyball player filed suit against the school Monday, alleging university officials failed to properly address a hazing incident in 2021, according to ESPN's Dan Murphy.

The player also alleged head coach Shane Davis "enabled a culture of racism, bullying, harassment, hazing and retaliation" inside the volleyball program.

According to Murphy, the player chose to remain anonymous in the complaint.

She contends Ryan disciplined her for violating the team's COVID-19 guidelines, which she denies breaking, after she tested positive for the virus in February 2021. That March, Ryan decided to have the team captains pick the player's punishment, according to the lawsuit. She had to run suicides as her teammates and coaches watched her, and she said she needed medical attention after she completed the sprints.

In her suit, the player said Northwestern determined after conducting an investigation that hazing had occurred within the program. However, the school decided against punishing any individual players or coaches.

This comes after Wildcats football coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired following an inquiry into hazing within that program. Three former football players have already pursued litigation in connection to that.

Northwestern also fired baseball coach Jim Foster due to allegations about a toxic atmosphere around the team.

University president Michael Schill said on July 18 he "will continue to do whatever is necessary to address this situation and ensure that our athletic program remains one you can be proud of and one that is fully aligned with and reflects our values."

Schill added he intends to follow through on a recommendation by the Faculty Senate to have an outside firm "evaluate the sufficiency of our accountability mechanism including the Committee on Athletics and Recreation and our ability to detect threats to the welfare of student-athletes."