Here is the latest Big Ten Conference sports news from The Associated Press
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Northwestern has fired coach Pat Fitzgerald 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. Fitzgerald’s dismissal completed a rapid fall from grace for the former Northwestern linebacker. The 48-year-old Fitzgerald had been firmly entrenched at his alma mater, an annual fixture on any list of college coaches with the most job security. Northwestern President Michael Schill says the culture within Fitzgerald’s program was “broken” in some ways.
UNDATED (AP) — Uncertainty continues to swirl around the Northwestern football program after allegations of hazing led to the suspension of coach Pat Fitzgerald this week. One day after the suspension, The Daily Northwestern published a story that detailed some of the allegations while claiming that Fitzgerald “may have known that hazing took place.” That led university president Michael Schill to write an open letter to the community acknowledging he may have erred in the level of punishment handed down and that he planned to speak to university leaders to determine his next steps. Meanwhile, football practice begins in just a few weeks with the season opener Sept. 3 at Rutgers quickly approaching.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar has been stabbed multiple times during an altercation with another inmate at a federal prison in Florida. Nassar is serving decades in prison after admitting sexually assaulting athletes at Michigan State University and at Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics, including Olympic medalists. Two people familiar with Nassar’s stabbing tell The Associated Press the attack happened Sunday at United States Penitentiary Coleman. The people say Nassar is in stable condition Monday. One of the people says Nassar was stabbed in the back and the chest. The people were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the attack and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity.