(670 The Score) In his first season leading the Northwestern baseball program, coach Jim Foster created a toxic environment that has run off coaches, broken the spirit of his team and led to a human resources investigation by the university regarding his alleged bullying and verbally abusive behavior, nine sources told 670 The Score.
As part of the toxic culture, Foster discouraged players from seeking medical attention for their injuries, made racially insensitive comments and made an inappropriate comment to a female staff member. Northwestern’s internal investigation didn’t find enough evidence to corroborate all of the allegations, but the university didn’t speak with players on the team while looking into the allegations, sources said.
Northwestern pitchers, in particular, hid their injuries from Foster this past season due to his demanding nature, and they instead sought treatment from trainer Josh Kuester away from the field, sources said. One Northwestern player had an elbow injury and pushed too hard to return because Foster wanted him back by a certain date. That player ended up needing Tommy John surgery. Foster also told multiple upperclassmen that they should quit if they didn’t return from injury sooner than expected, sources said.
“If they feel like the head coach doesn’t want them to see the trainer, it’s insane,” a source said. “You’re talking about someone’s health and well-being. It’s baffling.”
One player detailed to 670 The Score how he was the subject of a punishment run for nearly the entirety of a 2 1/2-hour practice last fall. After that, in November, the HR complaint was filed against Foster, and the university began monitoring him more closely, though toxic culture didn’t stop, sources said.
In a phone conversation with 670 The Score on Monday morning, Foster denied ever dissuading players from seeing the trainers or getting medical help.
This isn’t the first time that Foster has found himself in a concerning situation regarding his players’ physical well-being. Foster was the head coach of the Rhode Island program from 2006-’14. In October 2011, a player on his team died following a strength and conditioning workout outdoors. The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the university, and it was settled for $1.45 million.
Other Northwestern baseball coaches and staffers made repeated attempts to meet with athletic director Derrick Gragg to detail the toxic culture and medical mistreatment, but they were repeatedly denied a chance to meet with him, sources said.
Foster referred to an Asian player at a camp as “the Chinese kid” despite knowing he wasn’t Chinese, sources said. He once asked a fellow coach in a recruiting meeting if the coach would still advocate for recruiting a minority player if he was white. When the coach replied yes, Foster said he wouldn’t, sources said. Foster also blew off a mandatory diversity training program and was dismissive of the worthiness of doing it, sources said. A black player on the team didn’t feel comfortable enough to wear a chain or durag under his hat, a source said. Foster also once made a comment about not needing to dress nicely to go to a Mexican restaurant, which a player found to be insensitive, sources said.
In a phone conversation with 670 The Score, Foster called the allegations of racism “ridiculous.”
One allegation that Northwestern’s internal investigation did corroborate was his inappropriate comment to a female staffer. He said that she couldn’t be on the field because he didn’t want players “staring at her ***” and that she should be in the press box taking notes, sources said. She soon distanced herself from the team, sources said, because of Foster’s comment and behavior.
Foster also routinely screamed at coaches and players in the dugout, sources said.
Foster was hired in June 2022 by Northwestern, which went 10-40 this past season. The Wildcats have about 15 players who plan to transfer, sources said.
Foster came to Northwestern after leading the Army baseball program for six seasons. In the phone conversation Monday morning in which he addressed the allegations against him, Foster referenced his West Point coaching background, saying he came from a place where you need to have the highest of standards to succeed.
Foster also called the reporting of this story a “hit piece.” Regarding the inappropriate comment toward the female staffer, Foster noted that at Army, females had to wear army uniforms but that they could wear tight pants at Northwestern.
Regarding the other coaches who detailed the toxic environment, Foster suggested they wanted his job. He also put the responsibility back on the players.
“Maybe the players aren’t good enough and are just making excuses or are disgruntled,” Foster said. “Maybe it’s how they’re raised, could be any of that stuff.”
The nine sources that spoke with 670 The Score were comprised of former coaches, current and former players and others close to the program.
The accusations against Foster and the Northwestern baseball program come three days after an investigation confirmed allegations of hazing within the football program.
Northwestern head football coach Pat Fitzgerald was suspended without pay for two weeks starting last Friday. University president Michael Schill said in a statement released Saturday night that he “may have erred in weighing the appropriate sanctions.”
Northwestern officials have been contacted for further comment on this story but did not immediately respond.
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