Former Northwestern assistant coach Mike Hankwitz is pushing back against allegations of hazing and racism in the program under former coach Pat Fitzgerald, outlining the many ways players could report abuse and mistreatment.
Hankwitz, who served as Northwestern's defensive coordinator from 2008 until his retirement after the 2020 season, defended Fitzgerald and the program in a series of social media posts Wednesday night.
He said Northwestern had regular individual and group meetings throughout the year with players, who had direct access to Fitzgerald and also others around the program, including a sports psychologist, compliance officers and mentors.
Hankwitz also highlighted exit interviews players did when they left the program with Northwestern faculty members not associated with the athletic department. «It was done this way in the hopes that the players would feel free to speak their minds about their experiences without fear of backlash,» Hankwitz wrote.