Less than two weeks after a former Illinois football player accused head coach Tim Beckman and the Illini staff of mistreatment and negligence while handling his injuries, the university’s women’s basketball program is facing similar allegations.
Illinois women’s basketball assistant coach Mike Divilbiss left the program last week amid an investigation into allegations of racism, emotional abuse and injury mistreatment. The families of three former players — Jacqui Grant, Taylor Tuck and Taylor Gleason — recently sent letters to the office of school Chancellor Phyllis Wise expressing their concerns.
The letters, which were outlined in an article from Shannon Ryan of the Chicago Tribune, detail instances where Divilbiss and head coach Matt Bollant allegedly forced players to play through significant injuries.