Northwestern baseball team investigation cites abusive coach behavior

As Northwestern University deals with the fallout from hazing allegations on its football team, the university’s athletic department has been mired in a different controversy centering on first-year head baseball coach Jim Foster, sources said.

Former players, alumni, and people close to the baseball program told the Chicago Tribune that they reported problematic behavior from Foster to university management—including president Michael Schell and athletic director Derek Garage—that began last fall before the team began the 2023 season. At least some of those complaints motivated To conduct an investigation in the field of human resources.

The university’s investigation found “sufficient evidence” that Foster “engaged in bullying and abusive behavior,” according to an internal human resources document obtained by the Tribune. The investigation concluded that Foster “made an inappropriate comment about a female employee, and spoke negatively about his employees to other employees.”

The HR document states that the findings of the investigation should be shared with leaders in the Athletics and Recreation department to “take appropriate remedial action.” It is not clear what action the university took against Foster, who joined Northwestern after six years in the Army at West Point.

When reached by phone Monday, Foster said university policy prevented him from speaking to a reporter without first going through the university’s communications department, which could not be immediately reached for comment.

[ Northwestern president says he ‘may have erred’ with 2-week suspension for football coach Pat Fitzgerald ]

The HR document does not go into much detail Complaints against Foster. But former players and people close to the program who spoke to the Tribune anonymously for fear of retaliation said Foster’s interactions with players and staff can sometimes be cold and, at other times, combative.

While the allegations were not made public, signs of trouble were evident. In February, hitting coach and recruiting coordinator Dusty Napoleon, who had been with the team since 2015, left before the first game of the season. By the time the team returned from that inaugural outing, Coach John Strauss and Director of Operations Chris Beckum had also left the team. After the team’s 10-40 season ended, 16 players entered the transfer portal, sources told the Tribune, and at least six players met individually with Gragg or other athletic department leaders to express concerns about Foster.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.