Press Box: More questions for new Rutgers AD
The troubled Rutgers athletic program is facing additional controversy with new questions arising regarding the past of new athletic director Julie Hermann.
Hermann resigned as the head volleyball coach at the University of Tennessee 16 years ago after all of her players on the 1996 team combined to write a letter alleging she ruled through humiliation, fear and emotional abuse, The Star-Ledger reported.
Confronted by the players, Herman reportedly said, "I choose not to coach you guys," and turned and left the room, with many of her players saying they never saw the coach again.
Hermann has already been questioned about a 1997 jury verdict that awarded $150,000 to a former assistant coach who claimed she was fired because she became pregnant and was told a baby would affect her job performance. Hermann said the assistant was fired due to underperforming.
Rutgers president Robert Barchi ordered an investigation of that lawsuit, and on Friday the school released a statement saying: "We have looked at the totality of Julie's record in athletics administration and we look forward to her continued success as she leads Rutgers' transition into the Big Ten."
It's a rocky beginning for the woman who was hired by Rutgers at an annual salary of $450,000 to clean up the program's image, which was tarnished amid allegations that former men's basketball coach Mike Rice physically and verbally abused his players, followed by the resignation of Hermann's predecessor, Tim Pernetti.
---Former Memphis player Antonio Barton is staying in-state and transferring to Tennessee.
Barton's brother, Will, announced his sibling's intentions Sunday via Twitter. Antonio Barton will graduate from Memphis before the start of the fall semester at Tennessee, which will allow him to play next season without sitting out a transfer year.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
---Even though he no longer is enrolled at Notre Dame and will not play in 2013, former starting quarterback Everett Golson is planning on returning to school and playing in 2014.
In a statement released by the school Sunday afternoon, Notre Dame's starting quarterback in 2012 took responsibility for "poor choices" and "poor academic judgment" as the reasons for his suspension. He pledged to do whatever necessary to "regain the trust of my family, friends, teammates, coaches and the entire Notre Dame community."
SOCCER
---Major League Soccer cleared winger Robbie Rogers to play on Sunday night for the Los Angeles Galaxy after announcing it received his International Transfer Certificate.
If Rogers sees action, he will become the first openly gay athlete to compete in an American professional team sporting event.
NHL
---Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby no longer has to wear an extra shield on his helmet that covered his jaw area.
Team doctors cleared Crosby this weekend to go without the protective piece that was designed to safeguard the broken jaw he suffered when hit by a puck in the mouth area by a deflected puck late in the regular season. Crosby missed 12 games plus the playoff opener while recovering from jaw, mouth and dental injuries.
The Penguins captain practiced without the shield on Sunday as Pittsburgh prepared to face the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference finals. The date of the first game has not yet been set.
