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Jim Phillips, former Northwestern AD, responds to being named as defendant in hazing lawsuits

Andrew Olson

By Andrew Olson

Published:

Jim Phillips has addressed being named as a defendant in multiple Northwestern hazing lawsuits.

Three unidentified players have filed suits, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. John Doe 2 and John Doe 3 filed suits Wednesday and Thursday. John Doe 1’s suit does not name Phillips, who was Northwestern’s athletic director from 2008-to-2021. John Doe 2 and John Doe 3 played at Northwestern from 2018-to-2022, per the Times-Dispatch.

Phillips responded to media inquiries with a statement on Thursday, vowing to defend himself against any accusations.

“This has been a difficult time for the Northwestern University community, a place that my entire family called home. Over my thirty-year career in intercollegiate athletics, my highest priority has always been the health and safety of all student- athletes. Hazing is completely unacceptable anywhere, and my heart goes out to anyone who carries the burden of having been mistreated. Any allegation that I ever condoned or tolerated inappropriate conduct against student-athletes is absolutely false. I will vigorously defend myself against any suggestion to the contrary.”

Phillips has been commissioner of the ACC since February 2021.

Andrew Olson

A former Florida beat reporter, Andrew writes for the Saturday Tradition News Desk.