The Diamondback, Monday, August 27, 2018

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Monday, August 27, 2018

community

administration

athletics

Football team to honor McNair

Anderson authorized funds for players’ lawyers

Players will wear fallen teammate’s number on helmets

AD approved pay for lawyers to represent players accused of sexual misconduct

by

Before he res i g n e d f ro m h i s post as the University of Maryland’s athletic director, Kevin Anderson intervened in a sexual misconduct case involving two student-athletes, which a university statement said showed a “serious lack of judgment.”

In 2017, Anderson authorized the use of $15,000 in funds controlled by the athletic department for legal representation of two football players accused of sexual misconduct. Later, he did not follow orders from the university administration to cut ties with the lawyers, according to the statement, and the administration conducted an internal investigation into his actions.

Following The Diamondback’s initial report, the lawyer who was paid to represent the two players, Don Jackson of Alabama-based legal firm The Sports Group told The Baltimore Sun that it was football coach DJ Durkin who had initiated the hiring. The university’s original statement said that Anderson had “directed” the payment.

The information about the payment, which was obtained by The Diamondback through a public information request and interviews with sources familiar with the matter, provides details about the months leading up to Anderson’s departure from the university, which had previously been shrouded in mystery. It comes as the athletic department faces scrutiny for its safety procedures and accountability following the death of a football player from heatstroke.

As the Maryland football team filed into Cole Field House on Monday morning, two players stood out. Ellis McKennie and Johnny Jordan wore shirts and ties, held prepared speeches and addressed assembled media largely without looking down, speaking about one former offensive lineman who no longer stood amongst them.

For the first time in College Park, members of the Terps football team shared their thoughts openly and took the chance to announce a litany of ways to memorialize Jordan McNair, the 19-year-old offensive lineman who died in June.

McNair’s No. 79 will be worn as a helmet patch this season. No player will wear the number again until after 2020, the year McNair would have graduated. McNair will be honored at Senior Day in 2020. His locker will be encased in glass through that year with a gameday setup, moving with the team to Cole Field House.

And the offensive line room at Cole Field House will carry McNair’s name.

Players and coaches won’t stop saying his name, as McKennie wants.

“It’s time to get back to what is important, and that is honoring our fallen friend, brother and teammate, Jordan McNair,” McKennie said. “The moment that we stop saying his name, the moment that we begin to forget, his legacy will begin to fade. But we plan to have his legacy live on forever. We plan to never forget.”

The team also announced a scholarship to be made in McNair’s name for one football player each year. Before the Texas and Temple games, the former set to be played at FedEx Field before the Terps return to Maryland Stadium, there will be a moment of silence.

Andy Kostka @afkostka Senior staff writer

by

Christine Condon @CChristine19 Senior staff writer

MARYLAND ATHLETICS AND ADMINISTRATION are under scrutiny for their handling of former student Jordan McNair’s death. TOP: COURTESY OF UMTERPS; BOTTOM LEFT:LILA BROMBERG/THE DIAMONDBACK; CENTER: MARQUISE MCKINE/THE DIAMONDBACK; BOTTOM RIGHT: FILE PHOTO/THE DIAMONDBACK

campus

tragedy & turmoil Students are conflicted over team spirit after the death of Jordan McNair and reports of athletics officials’ misconduct

By Diamondback Staff

READ THE FULL STORY ON PAGE 3

See memorial , p. 10

See anderson, p. 6

administration

New commission members to look at football culture Former governor, NFL quarterback, congressman all added to investigation of reported misconduct The University System of Maryland ann o u n ce d o n Friday five more members of a commission investigating the culture of the University of Maryland’s football team, a group that includes a former Maryland governor, a former U.S. Congressman and a former Washington Redskins quarterback.

This university launched a task force to investigate the football program after ESPN reported on an abusive atmosphere perpetuated by the team’s coaching staff. The Board of Regents, which sets policy for the system’s 12 member institutions, voted last week to take over by

Christine Condon and James Crabtree-Hannigan @thedbk Senior staff writers

the investigation.

The board’s vision for the commission appears to differ significantly from this university’s plans.

The task force originally announced by university President Wallace Loh was set to have four members — three with a law background, one with a football background.

The university had already commissioned an outside group to investigate its athletics safety protocol after the death of Jordan McNair, a rising sophomore on the football team who suffered heatstroke at at team practice in May. Robert Ehrlich, a lawyer who served as Maryland’s governor from 2003 to 2007, will join the investigating commission alongside Tom

calendar 2 OPINION 4 FEATURES 5 city 7 diversions 8 SPORTS 12 Submit tips and corrections to The Diamondback at newsumdbk@gmail.

McMillen, an alumnus of this university who represented Maryland’s 4th District in the House of Representatives from 1987 to 1993. Both men have ties to athletics groups, and McMillen is a former NBA player.

Doug Williams, who’s currently the Redskins’ senior vice president of player personnel, was also named to the commision. He’ll join Dr. Frederick Azar, the chief of staff at Campbell Clinic Orthopaedics, and Bonnie Bernstein, a public health advocate and a former sports journalist who attended this university.

Loh had already announced three members of the commission: former U.S. District Court judges Ben Legg See COMMISSION, p. 6

The Diamondback is a publication of Maryland Media Inc.

monDay, AUGUST 27, 2018

2 | news

COMMUNITY CALENDAR CRIME BLOTTER

27 monday

28 tuESDAY

high 91° low 72°

MARYLAND HILLEL OPENING BBQ Rosenbloom Hillel Center, 5 to 7 p.m.

Hosted by Maryland Hillel marylandhillel.org/bbq-2018

KAIROS WELCOME NIGHT Stamp Student Union, Prince George’s Room, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Hosted by Kairos Christian Fellowship kairosfellowship.org

BHAKTI YOGA WELCOME SESSION Stamp Student Union, Nanticoke Room, 6 to 7 p.m.

Hosted by Bhagavad Gita Club facebook.com/UniversityOfMarylandBhaktiYogaClub/

By Christine Condon | @CChristine19 | Senior staff writer

ATTEMPTED BURGLARY A female University of Maryland student reported to the Prince George’s County Police that, at about 2:15 a.m. on Saturday, an unknown male stuck his head through her window, which was not secured at the time.

He left when she awoke, according to a UMD Alert.

The incident occurred in the 4500 block of Guilford Road, and county police are investigating.

high 94° low 72°

The incident occurred in the 7500 block of Baltimore Avenue, which is close to Chapel Field and Fraternity Row.

TITLE IX-REL ATED INCIDENT University Police responded to a domestic/ Title IX-related incident at E p pl e y R e c re at ion Center at about 1 p.m. on Wednesday, according to the online log. The case remains open, the log said.

ALCOHOL VIOLATION

THEFT

University of Maryland Police responded to a reported alcohol violation, which resulted in an arrest, Thursday at about 10 p.m, according to the University Police online crime log.

University Police responded to a reported theft at Denton Hall at about 7 a.m. Thursday, according to the online crime log.

This case remains open, according to the log.

newsumdbk@gmail.com

MORE ONLINE

tom hausman/the diamondback

Computer Science to be a Limited Enrollment Program next year The change follows small class sizes and lengthy waitlists for major-specific courses in the 2017-18 academic year.

Read the full story at dbknews.com

29 wednesdaY

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FARMERS MARKET Tawes Plaza, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. farmersmarket.umd.edu GETTING STARTED in ELMS: SIX EASY STEPS for SUCCESS Edward St. John Learning & Teaching Center, Room 1103, noon to 1:30 p.m.

Hosted by Division of IT go.umd.edu/UkP “PINK IS a COLOR THAT FEELS LIKE LOVE” OPENING RECEPTION Stamp Student Union, Stamp Gallery, 6 to 8 p.m.

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30 thURSDAY

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60% high 85° low 65°

MEET CHARLOTTE: BLACK and YELLOW GARDEN SPIDER VIEWING Plant Sciences Building, Room 4112, noon to 5 p.m.

Hosted by the Department of Entomology entomology.umd.edu

50% high 81° low 65°

COLLEGE COLORS DAY Campuswide, all day Hosted by the Office of Trademarks and Licensing osc.umd.edu MEN’S SOCCER vs. STANFORD Ludwig Field, 6 p.m. umterps.com FIELD HOCKEY vs. BOSTON COLLEGE Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex, 7 p.m umterps.com

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FOOTBALL vs. TEXAS FedEx Field, 1600 FedEx Way, Landover, noon umterps.com

2 suNday

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FIELD HOCKEY vs. DUKE Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex, 2 p.m. umterps.com

CITY

Car crashed into 7Eleven, slurpees won’t cease A c a r smashed Arya Hodjat @arya_kidding_me through the front Staff writer wall of the 7-Eleven in t h e 4 4 0 0 b l o c k o f K n ox Ro a d o n Friday afternoon, destroying a window and sending glass and brick onto the sidewalk below. by

A car crashed into College Park’s 7-Eleven on Friday. It will stay open despite the damages. ARYA HODJAT/for the diamondback There were no injuries, said Cpl. Harry Bond, a Prince George’s County Police spokesperson. The incident, which occurred at about 2:30 p.m., involved one car and appeared to be a mistake from the driver, he added. Drugs and alcohol are not believed to be a factor in the accident.

Raj Choppra, a manager at the 7-Eleven, said the store would be able to stay open despite the damages.

Richard Lane, a College Park resident who was at the scene, said he saw the accident happen after a pa rke d d r ive r s u d d e n ly accelerated, causing the c a r to c h a rg e p a s t t h e

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parking barrier and into the storefront.

“I was getting ready to stand on the other side, to give [another] car a jump,” Lane said. “If I had been standing on that side, I may not be standing there now.”

newsumdbk@gmail.com

monDAY, august 27, 2018

W

news | 3

hen junior Sarah Ferrier chose to attend the University of Maryland, she was excited for the camaraderie and pride that comes with attending a Big Ten institution, a cornerstone of the university’s identity.

But when she recently caught a glimpse of the school’s football team walking in uniform into Gossett Football Team House, that upbeat atmosphere wasn’t what came to mind. The New Jersey native was thinking of 19-year-old Jordan McNair, who died after suffering heatstroke at a team workout.

“It just made me view that very differently,” the criminology and criminal justice and psychology major said.

“That’s probably gonna be something that’s stuck in my head and that I associate with the UMD football team.”

She said McNair’s death has had an impact on how she views this university and its leadership. “[Sports] should be something fun that brings people together — it shouldn’t be something that people are losing their lives over,” Ferrier said.

After a summer defined by controversy for Maryland athletics, students arriving and returning to campus expressed their shock and desire for changes to the football program, which several players have said had a toxic culture.

The typical preseason athletics events carried on. Freshmen gathered in Maryland Stadium on Saturday to learn school cheers and songs, as well as practice the traditional unfurling of the state flag over the student section at sporting events.

But the festivities took place before a troubling backdrop.

Earlier this month, university officials

A CONFLICTED KICKOFF After university admits neglect of athlete, students ponder how to show school pride

By Diamondback Staff | @thedbk

accepted “legal and moral” responsibility for McNair’s death, which occurred two weeks after he collapsed at a May 29 team workout. They admitted training staff did not properly diagnose him, provide adequate treatment or follow emergency protocols for his condition, which has a 100 percent survival rate when treated promptly with cold water immersion.

Athletic director Damon Evans spoke about McNair during the “Welcome to the B1G Show! Athletic Kickoff ” event for the freshmen.

“We will continue to honor Jordan through his teammates, the way we act … and the way we play on the field,” Evans said. “We need you now more than ever.

They need you, our football team needs you and our university needs you.”

Junior computer science major Andrew Witten called McNair’s death “an embarrassment” for the university, adding that he will not be going to any football games as a result.

But freshman physics major Matthew Diaz said he would likely still attend football games in light of the tragedy.

“After going through something like that, the team’s obviously going to be really sad,” he said. “You want to show them you still support them.”

Freshman public health science major Meghan Hibbs agreed.

“Our response as a student body

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should be that we come together as a whole and come out and support the football players because they’re going through a tragic loss,” she said.

This university didn’t admit culpability in McNair’s death until two months later, when ESPN reported on an unhealthy culture within the football program.

Players told ESPN that coach DJ Durkin and other staffers harassed and abused them, including forcing a player to eat candy bars until he vomited and making an injured player compete in tug-of-war. Several witnesses said a trainer screamed “Drag his ass across the field!” while McNair was helped by teammates at the workout where he suffered heatstroke.

Sophomore computer science major Sanjay Murugesan said this university should have directly addressed the events sooner.

“It just makes it seems like they just tried to hush it up,” Murugesan said.

Durkin, strength and conditioning coach Rick Court, head football athletic trainer Wes Robinson and athletic training director Steve Nordwall were all placed on leave.

This university parted ways with Court soon afterward, and McNair’s family has called for Durkin to be fired.

Murugesan added that the events would impact his future attendance and participation at football games and other athletic events.

“I was probably a casual fan before, but now — you don’t really feel like that’s something you want to support,” he said.

Sami Siddiqui, a junior computer engineering major, said it would make her think twice about going to football games.

“Do I want to support the culture of the football team if it doesn’t support the players’ health?” she said.

Following the ESPN reports, this university announced the creation of a four-person task force to investigate the allegations against the football program.

One week later, the University System of Maryland’s Board of Regents, which sets policy for the 12 member institutions, took over the investigation.

McNair’s family has hired Murphy, Falcon and Murphy — the Baltimore law firm that represented Freddie Gray’s family — to pursue potential legal remedy for his death.

The Diamondback reported Thursday that Kevin Anderson, before his resignation as athletic director, intervened in a university sexual misconduct investigation of two football players by hiring them legal representation. Afterward, the lawyer representing the players said it was Durkin who originally hired him, although the university’s original statement did not mention his involvement.

Sophomore history major David O’Donoghue said the controversy surrounding the football program is “a disappointment,” adding that it’s “definitely not a strong enough word.”

“It’s definitely pretty damning of our programs that we’re really going to let this happen,” he said. “We pushed [the abuse] under the rug for so long, apparently.”

monday, August 27, 2018

4 | OPINION

Opinion EDITORIAL BOARD

OPINION POLICY Signed letters, columns and cartoons represent the opinions of the authors.

The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Diamondback’s editorial board and is the responsibility of the editor in chief.

Ryan Romano

Arya Hodjat

Ben Cooper

EDITOR IN CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR

column

Max Foley-Keene, Sona Chaudhary OPINION EDITOR

column

UMD deserves better than Wallace Loh’s cowardly leadership MAX FOLEY-KEENE @MaxFoleyKeene Columnist

The many villains of the Unive rs i ty o f M a r yl a n d fo o t b a l l s c a n d a l express their villainy in diverse ways. There’s the outright brutality of now-former strength and conditioning coach Rick Court, who reportedly threw weights at players and forced one player to eat to the point of vomiting. There’s the more understated cruelty of head football coach DJ Durkin, who, according to one player, used Court to create a culture of fear and intimidation without becoming completely despised.

But a different kind of villainy was on display during Tuesday’s press conference with university President Wallace Loh and athletic director Damon Evans.

It was the cowardice you see whenever powerful people are caught in misbehavior, yet have no intention of relinquishing their power. It’s the cowardice of the forced apology, with language carefully pre-examined by lawyers and PR professionals.

Loh’s behavior creates the culture of ass-covering embraced by subordinates like Evans. Though brief, the president’s remarks on Tuesday are a master class in how to abdicate moral leadership when one’s institution is consumed by scandal.

Let’s start from the beginning. Loh reports that he and Evans drove up to Baltimore to speak with the parents of Jordan McNair, the football player who died a preventable death from an ailment he contracted at a team workout. Loh says he made this trip because he wanted to apologize, “in private,” on behalf of the university.

Of course, Loh diminishes the impact of a private meeting by immediately telling reporters about it. But the bigger issue is the fact that it took two months for the university to apologize for a 19-year-old student suffering fatal heatstroke on its watch. We heard nothing like this in June or July, and if ESPN hadn’t forced the university’s hand, we probably wouldn’t have heard it in August, either.

The presser goes downhill from there. Loh admits fault, but only on behalf of the athletic training staff, repeatedly emphasizing that his criticism is not of other football employees. At one point he says, “Our athletic training staff — not the coaching

staff, the athletic training staff — … they basically misdiagnosed the situation.”

Such a narrow focus suggests, astoundingly, that Loh may still be trying to protect Durkin, who’s currently on administrative leave but hasn’t been fired.

Attempting to restrict blame to a small group of subordinates is one of the classic tactics of a cowardly leader.

L o h t h e n t r i e s to c l ea n ly separate culpability for McNair’s death and culpability for the football program’s abusive culture, beginning with a brutally awkward pivot: “The second thing I want to address [is] the reported allegations that came out recently on conduct that is simply inappropriate.”

These two things, as Loh surely knows, are inseparable.

ESPN’s report detailed a culture in which players were shamed

columnist’s view

This university — its students, its teachers, its athletes — deserve better leadership than this. for showing physical limitations — just the kind of culture that would encourage callousness toward a player showing signs of heatstroke. Indeed, one player said McNair likely pushed through the fateful workout because he feared retribution if he stopped. But Loh sees no cause and effect here, or even a correlation; he attempts to draw clean lines around the stories to obscure his responsibility.

During the portion of the press conference when Loh discusses Maryland’s football culture, one gets the odd sense that he’s a passive observer of his own university. Like a scrupulous news anchor, he consistently refers to “allegations” against the program — at one point, he decries “bullying” and “intimidation,” then immediately backtracks to clarify that he means “alleged bullying” and “alleged intimidation” — and like a defense lawyer, he invokes the need for “fair process.”

Loh, of course, is not a news anchor, nor is he currently practicing law. He’s the president

of the university. His house is a leisurely walk away from the football practice facilities, and Durkin is one of his highestprofile employees. That Loh — or at least one of his subordinates — could have kept close tabs on the football program and worked to prevent an abusive culture from forming in the first place doesn’t seem to cross his mind.

The notion that the buck stops with him is absent.

A particularly disturbing part of Loh’s spiel comes as he’s outlining the allegations against the program. First, he praises the university’s reporting system, and expresses his pride that students and staff come forward with “lots and lots of expressions of concern and issues and problems.” Then, he issues the standard defense for scandals like these: swearing that he learned about the allegations through the media.

Of course it makes sense for Loh to claim ignorance — the alternative would be that he knew and did nothing — but framing it like this is implicit victim-blaming. The message here is that the university’s reporting system is working just fine, and football players are to blame for not taking advantage of it. He never stops to ask why they didn’t come forward, or why they might not have trusted the university to deliver justice. In Loh’s mind, the system cannot fail, it can only be failed.

This portion of the press conference concludes with two classic Loh moves: He says a bunch of words like “values,” “respect” and “dignity,” and he announces the creation of a task force. Fine. But platitudes won’t erase Loh’s massive failure of courage, and neither will a commission. Only a dramatic shift in course — or a new university president — could do that.

Last year, while discussing the University of North Carolina’s scandal-plagued basketball team, Loh said, “As president, I sit over a number of dormant volcanoes. One of them is an athletic scandal. It blows up, it blows up the university, its reputation, it blows up the president.”

He was right. The University of Maryland may never recover from the death of Jordan McNair.

Loh’s reputation certainly won’t.

This university — its students, its teachers, its athletes — deserve better leadership. opinionumdbk@gmail.com

MORE ONLINE

lila bromberg/for the diamondback

marquise mckine/the diamondback

Staff editorial: Why did it take UMD so long to care about Jordan McNair’s death?

It shouldn’t have taken bad press for the university to make staffing changes.

Read the full column at dbknews.com

Hogan’s support for tuition-free college is not enough MARIS MEDINA @Marisgmedina Columnist

When my friends and I were applying for colleges, we had a myriad of different institutions to choose from. From in-state colleges to out-of-state Ivies to community colleges, we all hoped we’d be getting a quality education, not wanting to find ourselves knee-deep in debt.

Tuition-free college has been the focus of numerous political campaigns in recent years. Former presidential candidate and Sen. Bernie Sanders (IVermont) is a famous proponent and, more recently, so is Maryland gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous.

In May, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan joined the bandwagon and made a move toward affordable higher education by signing a bill to enact the College Promise program. Students going to community college will receive up to $5,000 in scholarships if their families earn less than $150,000 a year. As a “last-dollar program,” the state would cover leftover tuition costs after other scholarships and grants.

This law follows New York’s program allowing two- and four-year degree students at State University of New York or City University of New York institutions free tuition if their families make less than $125,000 a year.Both are great steps in ensuring middle-class families were part of the conversation about affordable high education.

On July 16, Hogan made another intriguing announcement, saying he wants to extend the College Promise program to include Maryland’s four-year public universities at no cost.While such

a statement is commendable, Hogan must first focus on the original promise concerning community colleges. Hogan must commit to ensuring community college remains a viable, quality education — rather than a cheap alternative.

According to the Maryland Association of Community Colleges, nearly 500,000 students in the state attend a Maryland community college. In fact, Maryland’s 16 community colleges educate half of its undergraduates.We’re lucky to be in a state that prioritizes education. Yet, Hogan must acknowledge that to have a program like College Promise succeed, it needs to deliver top-notch education at all community colleges — not just ones that receive the most funding from their respective counties, as community colleges heavily rely on local funds.

Targeted efforts toward improving things like campus infrastructure and technology ­— issues the Brookings Institute note are two of community colleges’ largest vices — will enhance student education. As the institute also emphasizes,since most community colleges receive funds based on enrollment rather than student success,little is done to enhance actual student performance.

Hogan can’t enact improvements on his own. Ultimately, the federal government must give more to these schools so they can continue to give students a proper education. If the state feels like it’s time to let its middle-class and low-income students afford community college, then it better make sure that it’s a quality one. marismedina29@gmail.com

column

Pseudoscience that uses jargon is still wrong NATE ROGERS @NateRogersDev Columnist

Despite the fears of conspiracy theorists, the Large Hadron Collider has not created a black hole and sucked in the planet.

These unjustified worries have dogged the experiment since it began.

Nevertheless, the theory was popular enough to draw coverage from major news outlets, which helped spread one of the most absurd fears to enter the public consciousness.

“Why do people believe this stupid thing they see on the internet?” is a question I often find myself asking.

That’s especially true for science, where everything from climate change to vaccines fall victim to pseudoscience. The sheer volume of misinformation available plays a role, but that’s only part of the story. I took a trip to the stupid corner of the internet to see how pseudoscientists use language to manipulate readers.

The anti-vaccine movement is both infamously manipulative and wildly popular. I can understand how it’s appealing — it offers a clear villain, simple cause-and-effect and plenty of sciencey-sounding jargon. Age of Autism, a popular anti-vaccine conspiracy theory site,features a particularly manipulative mission statement.It claims to“investigate the causes and possible biomedical treatments of autism,” and states that autism is “man-made and therefore preventable.”

Those statements might sound hopelessly vague to you. That’s because they are. They have no evidence and therefore no focus. However, they hide that with jargon. They don’t assign blame randomly; they “investigate the causes.” They don’t advocate home

remedies; they study“biomedical treatments.” Stealing language from science gives them authority,helping them manipulate desperate readers.

This strategy isn’t exclusive to antivaxxers. It’s equally essential to climate deniers. A depressingly recent opinion piece by Fred Singer in the Wall Street Journal argues that sea level rise has nothing to do with water temperature or carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and that we can’t stop it. It even includes these astonishing lines: “The temperature of sea water has no direct effect on sea-level rise. That means neither does the atmospheric content of carbon dioxide.”

This is complete nonsense, but the argument is wrapped in enough pseudo-intellectual language to sound believable. Singer mentions his methods of analysis and the demands of physics.

He follows a tenuous line of logic and qualifies his claims. It’s a remarkable imitation of science. But ultimately, it’s just rhetoric.

No magic combination of words can make a stupid idea scientific. Only rigorous, repeated experimentation and consensus building can lend credibility.

We know that climate change is real and man-made — but not just because some guy thought it up and described it with fancy words. We know because nearly the entire scientific community agrees that it is true. Jargon doesn’t tell us that vaccines are safe.A wealth of studies do.

Remember that scientific language does not always come with evidence.

Someone might try to convince you that a black hole will destroy the planet.

They’re probably lying, but please don’t take my word for it. Look at the actual science. nrogers2@terpmail.umd.edu

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6 | news

monDay, august 27, 2018

ANDERSON

in proceedings that may affect student-athletes’ participation in school sports, but Anderson’s decision to intervene in a sexual misconduct case ran afoul of the university’s “commitment to a fair and impartial handling of all such matters,� according to the university’s statement.

And in 2014, the NCAA’s executive committee unanimously passed a resolution stating athletic departments must “not manage, direct, control or interfere with college or university investigations into allegations of sexual violence,� to ensure athletes do not receive special treatment in such cases.

The attorneys began representing the players in June 2017. About two months later, then-executive athletic director Damon Evans — who had not been consulted in the decision to hire the attorneys — notified the administration of the payment, and the university president’s office directed Anderson to cut ties with the attorneys, according to the statement. The next month, they learned he had not done so, prompting an

internal investigation.

In October, the university announced Anderson was taking a six-month sabbatical, after denying reports that he’d been fired.

Anderson resigned in April, toward the conclusion of the sabbatical.

Anderson could not be reached by The Diamondback prior to publication.

In comments to The Washington Post later Thursday night, Anderson said: “That report is inaccurate.� “The President’s Office, t h e O f f i c e o f G e n e ra l Counsel, the Athletic Compliance Office and [Evans] were not involved in or consulted on the original decision made to hire and pay the lawyer,� the university’s statement said. “Protocols requiring General Counsel to retain outside counsel had not been followed in the hiring.�

The two athletes’ sexual misconduct case was handled by this university’s Office of Civil Rights and Sex u a l M i sco n d u c t , t h e statement read. They were ultimately disciplined by the university, according to a source familiar with

the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. Both football players were placed on interim suspension. One was expelled, and the other left the university as well.

The university’s sexual misconduct policy does not expressly prohibit the school from hiring lawyers to represent the accused. It states that individuals can obtain legal representation “at their own initiation and expense.�

In a January phone interview, Catherine Carroll, the director of the university’s Office of Civil Rights and Sexual Misconduct at the time, affirmed that the university hiring a lawyer for one party could also constitute an equity issue, as one party would be provided representation free of charge, while the other would not. “The university never is paying for any of that [legal representation],� Carroll said. “We do provide referrals to both parties. So we’ll provide legal assistance referrals to respondents or other types of legal resources in the state of Maryland to complainants.�

This university’s OCRSM

was created in 2014, during the Obama-era push for schools to address sexual misconduct and T itle IX complaints. The office m a d e h ea d l i n e s i n 2 0 1 6 after Carroll, who has since resigned, said it was understaffed and underfunded. He r p u s h re s u l te d i n extra hires.

The payment was made to a firm in Montgomery, Alabama named The Sports Group, which represents athletes in legal matters, according to The Diamondback’s public information request. The group could not be reached for comment prior to publication.

Anderson originally said his sabbatical was the result of recent attention drawn to forums he held to allow Maryland student-athletes to speak their mind about any topic, according to a letter to athletic department staff. “This experience has led me to consider where I want to focus my energies at this point in my career,� Anderson wrote of the discussions.

In May, Anderson became the interim athletic director at California State Uni-

versity, Northridge, which replaced Anderson with a permanent athletic director in July.

The university’s embattled athletics department has recently come under fire after the death of a football player and reports of an abusive culture in the football program.

In June, offensive lineman Jordan McNair died after being hospitalized with heatstroke, which he suffered at a Maryland team workout.

His death has prompted an external investigation of the athletic department’s safety protocols. Two months later, ESPN reported that football coaches verbally harassed team members and pushed players past their physical limits, creating an atmosphere that discouraged players’ feedback and may have been detrimental to their safety.

former college athletes, and two are alumni of this uniFrom p. 1 versity. None of the original a n d A l e x W i l l i a m s a n d three members announced former federal prosecutor by Loh played college sports or attended the university.

Charlie Scheeler.

The appointment of Azar, Four of the five members announced by the board are an orthopedic surgeon who

specializes in sports medicine, also highlights a difference between the board’s vision for the commission and the university’s.

Several football players told ESPN that coaches forced them to do strenuous work-

outs and pushed them beyond their physical limits. While Loh said the school’s training staff didn’t properly treat McNair’s heatstroke, his commission was not to include a sports medicine professional.

Adding Azar could indicate

that the board will look into the impact of the team’s culture on the health care it provided its athletes. “Once the commission has completed its work, the Board of Regents will make the decisions necessary to

safeguard and support our students, both at College Park and at campuses across the state,� Board of Regents Chair James Brady, who announced the appointments, said in a statement. newsumdbk@gmail.com

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From p. 1 Jackson said Anderson emailed him requesting that he stop working on the case about a month after he’d started doing so, but that he continued representing the players because he felt ethically obligated to continue helping them.

But this was never reported to the university, according to a statement that followed Jackson’s comments from the university’s office of the general counsel. “The lawyers continued to represent UMD football players (meeting their ethical obligations), perpetuating an unfair advantage for the accused over their accuser. Even after this inequitable situation was discovered and ordered to be stopped, it continued.

This fact was not reported back to the university administration. If it had, other measures to remedy the inequity, such as providing an attorney for the other party, could have been taken,� the statement read.

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Senior staff writer James Crabtree-Hannigan contributed to this report. newsumdbk@gmail.com

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monDAY, august 27, 2018

news | 7

City obituary

richard mensi, in the back row third from the right, and other Terp Hosts serve Tyser Tower at Maryland Stadium in 2008 shortly after its renovation. He worked at this university for over 60 years. photo courtesy of patricia hughes

‘ a gentleman at all times’ UMD usher greeted Terps fans with a warm smile for over 60 years

By Alexander Dacy | @thedbk | Staff writer

F

or more than 60 years, Richard Mensi greeted every person who p a s s e d t h ro u g h t h e gates of a Maryland athletic event he worked with a warm, grandfatherly smile.

When students forgot their IDs to get into games, Mensi — always clad in a white shirt, a tie and a pair of polished leather shoes — often let them through with a wink and a nod and a gentle reminder to bring it next time, people who knew him well said.

Mensi, nicknamed Dick by some family and friends, worked as a member of the Terp Host staff — responsible for guest relations — for Terrapin football, basketball and lacrosse from 1953 until the fall of 2016.

He died on Aug. 5 in College Park at the age of 90. As a Terp Host, Mensi primarily served as an usher and a ticket taker.

Mensi’s colleague and longtime friend, Patricia Hughes, remembered him as an honest, polite and positive

man who always had a smile on his face and enjoyed his job.

“Dick epitomized a gentleman at all times,” she said. “Whether it was opening the door for you if you were going out together or his reaction to situations … he always had a smile, and he was a genuinely good man.”

In a statement, Maryland athletics spokesperson Zack Bolno recalled Mensi’s positive spirit and commitment to the university.

“We could always count on Richard greeting us with a smile and providing support wherever needed,” Bolno wrote. “Richard was a man of high character and a consummate professional, and he will be greatly missed at the University of Maryland.”

Born in 1928 in southwestern Pennsylvania, Mensi was the youngest of four children. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps, serving in Tokyo during the Allied occupation. Mensi returned to Pennsylvania in 1949 and enrolled in college at Waynesburg State College, where he earned a degree in accounting.

He then moved to the Washington, D.C. area and, after a brief stint with the federal government, settled in as the head of payroll at Catholic University. He worked there for 40 years, and in his free time he also worked as an usher and ticket taker for Maryland athletics.

In addition to his time at Maryland, Mensi briefly worked in a similar capacity at Washington Senators baseball games and Washington Redskins football games.

Paul Yarrish, a close friend of Mensi, said his family remembered him during the service as “one of the university’s most loyal supporters.”

Hughes noted that Mensi was widely revered in the Terrapin athletic community simply because he was respectful to all and gave so much time to Maryland.

“Dick could do anything when it came to [helping with] athletics … [and there] was a deep and abiding respect people had for him, and that’s because of the type of person

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he was, because he respected others,” she said.

This respect extended to some of the university’s coaches. Hughes described how men’s basketball coach Mark Turgeon called Mensi’s family and was “so disappointed” he couldn’t attend the service because the basketball team was traveling.

In the years after his retirement from Catholic University in 1993, Mensi remained active in his community. Aside from his time at Maryland, he often spent time with senior groups and at the local American Legion post, playing poker, taking day trips and dining with friends and family.

He is survived by his three daughters, Carolyn, Patricia and Lisa, as well as six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Two of his grandchildren as well as his son-inlaw currently serve as Terp Hosts, continuing his legacy. newsumdbk@gmail.com

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8 | diversions

monDay, august 27, 2018

Diversions UPCOMING EVENTS

ONE-SENTENCE REVIEW Summer — reviewed by Diversions Editor Jack Roscoe

Hot and boring and too short. ★★★✩✩

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review | sweetener

(left and right) photo via youtube, (center) photo courtesy of republic records

‘sweetener’ is a grande slam In her newest album, Ariana Grande proves to be more than just a cookie-cutter pop star

By Allison O’Reilly | @allisonsoreilly | Staff writer

You, you love it how I move you You love it how I touch you, my one When all is said and done You’ll believe God is a woman ARIANA GRANDE, “God is a woman”

A

riana Grande cemented herself among pop music’s most powerful, talented and influential women with Sweetener, her most dynamic work to date.

The album is produced in part by Pharrell Williams and Max Martin, whose unique talents bring a sense of edge and creativity to each track. But Sweetener would be nothing without Grande’s impeccable vocals and intricately layered harmonies.

On the album’s opening track, “raindrops,” Grande sings a capella.

Isolated from any production, the track sets the tone for Sweetener, which takes listeners on a journey through her love life and tumultuous emotions following the bombing at her 2017 concert in Manchester Arena.

Ain’t got no tears left to cry (to cry) So I’m pickin’ it up, pickin’ it up (oh yeah) I’m lovin’, I’m livin’, I’m pickin’ it up ARIANA GRANDE, “no tears left to cry”

With Sweetener, Grande claims her artistic space and proves she’s more than just a radio hit-making factory.

She explores and masters the strange middle ground between singing and rapping on this album, finding new power in her voice away from her typical belts and whistle tones on trap-influenced songs like “blazed” and “the light is coming.”

But her trademark vocal prowess isn’t absent on Sweetener, and neither are the pop music jams expected of her.

It almost feels wrong to write this review without mentioning every song — each one is unique in both sound and story — but there are three songs in particular that truly define the project: “God is a woman,” “breathin” and “goodnight n go.”

On “God is a woman,” Grande utilizes her entire vocal register with lyrics that explore the divinity in female sexuality. The song is pop gold — the bold beginning, flowing melodies and empowering lyrics are a winning combination — that incorporates that same trap sound, appealing to various corners of today’s music trends. It has the power of 2016’s “Dangerous Woman” but instead of focusing on romantic love, “God is a woman” is about taking ownership of her own sexual power.

The theme of self ownership continues in “breathin,” an upbeat tune that focuses on handling tough situations, namely anxiety, which Grande has spoken publicly about since the Manchester attack. The opening lyrics “Some days, things just take way too much of my energy/ I look up and the whole room’s spinning,” are extremely resonant as somebody who lives with anxiety on a daily basis. The song is an anthem of reclaiming one’s strength,

finding support and developing coping mechanisms, set to the kind of beat you can have fun with and shake your ass to.

An ode to emotional unavailability, “goodnight n go” stands out with sharp changes in pace. It opens gently and slides into a beat drop for a commanding first verse. The pre-chorus reverts to that gentleness, with sweet lyrics about inevitably falling for people you don’t have the emotional capacity to be in a relationship with. Grande’s higher register shines in this song, which contrasts with the rest of the album, where she explores her oft-neglected lower tones.

Grande sets a theme of optimism on this album, even deviating from black and white album artwork for the first time, but still infuses each song with a powerful message.

The tracks emphasize self care, self-confidence, healthy relationship habits and some — like “pete davidson” and “get well soon” — even directly address the gossip and news surrounding her life.

In the summer 2018 issue of The Fader, Grande put it more eloquently than I ever could: “Issa bop — but issa message.

Issa bop but also has chunks of my soul in it. Here you go. Also, I cried 10 hundred times in the session writing it for you. Here is my bleeding heart, and here is a trap beat behind it.”

Her growth as both an artist and a person are apparent with every note on Sweetener. Her willingness to explore and then succeed in that exploration is iconic — this album is undoubtedly one of the best in pop music history.

aoreillydbk@gmail.com

monDAY, august 27, 2018

diversions | 9

review | a midsummer night’s dream

a midsummer mess Despite technologically enchanting visuals, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ is dizzying

S

While the play is supposed to be a lighthearted comedy, the movie is so laden with dark imagery and muddling technology that it’s hard to find the humor.

By Allison O’Reilly | @allisonsoreilly | Staff writer

hakespeare’s classic comedic love story A Midsummer Night’s Dream is centered around magic — curses and fairies and sprites and potions carry the entire plot.

In Casey Wilder Mott’s 2018 film adaption, the storyline and sense of enchantment is obscured by overindulgent technological influence.

Based in present-day Los Angeles (referred to as Athens, I assume to stick to the original script) the film uses modern technology, which sometimes enhances character interactions but other times ends up clouding the classic message.

The film maintains the original Shakespearean dialogue — some of which even occurred over text — grounding the story in today’s realities. Other times, important dialogues are overshadowed by grandiose flashbacks, out-of-place animations or distractingly flashy b-roll footage — mostly during scenes involving Oberon (Saul Williams), Titiana (Mia Doi Todd) and Puck (Avan Jogia).

For those unfamiliar with the original play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream has a complicated plot that follows multiple stories. The core is that Theseus, duke of Athens (or in this case, a powerful entertainment mogul), is planning a four-day party to marry Amazonian queen Hippolyta. This plotline is grossly underexplained and underrepresented in the film, to the point where I actually forgot a party was supposed to happen by the time it occurred.

There is a love-square — Helena (Lily Rabe) loves Demetrius (Finn Wittrock), who loves Hermia (Rachael Leigh Cook), who loves Lysander (Hamish Linklater), who loves her back for most of the story.

Theseus wants Hermia to marry Demetrius, but she is adamant in her love for Lysander. After a series of comedic events,

the quartet eventually ends up together in the woods.

Rabe and Cook do a fantastic job bringing modern tone and mannerisms to their Shakespearean English lines. “Though she be but little, she is fierce,” has an outstanding edge in the context of a 21st—century squabble between friends.

There’s also a group of fairies — including Puck, King Oberon and Queen Titania — and a band of players, led by Bottom.

The players are in the same woods as the love-square working on a performance for Theseus’ large party, and in this modern retelling they’re creating a short film.

Oberon gives Puck instructions to wreak all sorts of havoc in the forest.

In the original play, Bottom is cursed to have the head of an ass, or donkey. In the movie, his head turned into an actual ass, a butt, which was not only uncomfortable to look at but a source of incredibly lowbrow humor — Bottom is already a funny character, fart jokes aren’t needed to jazz things up.

The film was a little over an hour and a half but felt like it dragged on forever.

While the play is supposed to be a lighthearted comedy, the movie is so laden with dark imagery and muddling technology that it was hard to find the humor. Important plot points were buried in the hubbub and the attempts to be edgy.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream deserved a more focused approach and could have been a lot better. The actors navigated their artistic space well and shed a realistic light on a fantastical story, but if they were the movie’s dominant force, as opposed to technology and fancy effects, they could have done so much more.

aoreillydbk@gmail.com

photos via youtube

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10 | SPORTS

MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2018

volleyball

setter nicole alford, a transfer from Georgia Tech, has exceeded the team’s expectations and served as the primary setter. She became the first Maryland player to record 50 assists in one match since 2016.

courtesy of maryland athletics

‘a really great community’ Transfer Nicole Alford sets the Terps for success this season

By Ben Fischer | @TheBiggestFisch | Staff writer

T

hree games into coach Adam Hughes’ tenure leading the Maryland volleyball team, the Terps are still developing their identity. But in the team’s first weekend, Hughes showed one way that the program will change with him at the helm.

Under coach Steve Aird, Maryland rotated between two setters in a 6-2 formation, allowing for the Terps to utilize a plethora of attacking options during matches. After Aird departed for Indiana, two of Maryland’s top three attackers from last year transferred, and Hughes searched for additional pieces to bulk up his roster.

Hughes used a 5-1 formation during Maryland’s opening weekend, and setter Nicole Alford, who transferred from Georgia Tech this offseason, quickly

MEMORIAL

took over as the team’s primary setter.

“She’s definitely giving us a chance to be a little better in that system,” Hughes said. “We still have areas we can improve on, but she definitely gives us a calm demeanor on the court.”

Alford paced the Terps with 114 assists in their season-opening weekend in North Carolina, facing Wake Forest, UNC Greensboro and Air Force. In just three matches for Maryland, she has already shouldered a much heavier workload than she did as a Yellow Jacket.

Alford made four starts and had four matches with 20 or more assists as a freshman. The Annapolis native started each match this weekend and compiled a double-double against Air Force with 50 assists and 12 digs.

She said her teammates aided her transition to the Terps offense.

“A lot of the preparation has just

workout, the Terps’ first practice of the summer, and From p. 1 died about two weeks later.

McNair suffered heatstroke If treated correctly, heatat a May 29 organized team stroke has a 100 percent

survival rate.

Athletic director Damon Evans and university President Wallace Loh admitted “legal and moral responsi-

come from communication,” Alford said. “It’s been really fast, so you just have to trust your hitters. … It came a lot from communication, and this weekend I think we saw us connecting really well and executing.”

Alford became the first Maryland player to record 50 assists in a match since setter Taylor Smith recorded 52 in 2016, a hiatus reflective of the Terps’ revolving door at the position. Smith is one of seven setters to have played there since 2016.

Hughes’ utilization of a 5-1 system limits the rotation of Maryland’s outside and opposite hitters. Following Aird’s departure, opposite hitter Angel Gaskin and former top-30 ranked recruits Gia Milana and Samantha Drechsel all transferred, obliterating Maryland’s depth on the pins.

The Terps’ heavy reliance on Alford is

bility” for McNair’s death at a press conference last we e k . L o h sa i d t ra i n e rs “ basically misdiagnosed the situation,” failing to

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largely a result of Maryland’s offseason overhaul.

“We know [Hughes] trusts us, which makes a difference in having confidence and a good team dynamic,” Alford said.

“We all gelled really well together, coaches and players. Yeah, it was a little crazy at first, but once we hit the preseason, we were rolling.”

Alford said she didn’t have much difficulty transitioning to College Park.

And after a strong start to her career as a Terp, she looks to continue to provide stability in the new formation.

“Even before I was able to come in and start playing, me and the girls clicked really well,” Alford said. “I’ve always loved the state, and I love being close to home. It’s a really great community.” bfischerdbk@gmail.com

take McNair’s vital signs or follow the university’s emergency action plan.

And earlier this month, after two ESPN articles highlighted an alleged “toxic” culture within Maryland’s football program, coach DJ Durkin and trainers Steve Nordwall and Wes Robinson were put on administrative leave, and the Board of Regents has formed a task force to investigate the program. Strength and conditioning coach Rick Court was also put on leave before resigning last week.

Sports medicine consulting firm Walters Inc. is also conducting an investigation of the team’s player safety protocols, the results of which are expected Sept. 15.

B u t a t t h e m os t ba s i c l e ve l , M c Na i r ’s f o r m e r te a m m a te s h a ve h a d to prepare for an ever-closer season opener against Te x a s o n S e p t . 1 w h i l e dealing with a program in flux and the loss of a friend.

McKennie attended McDonogh School in Owings Mills along with McNair.

Jordan was McNair’s roomm a te a t M a ryl a n d . Bo t h players spoke at McNair’s funeral last month.

“Jordan [McNair] was one of the best friends, teammates and roommates that anyone could ever ask for,” Jordan, a

sophomore offensive lineman, said. “He was a gentle giant, and we as a team will continue to carry on his legacy through this season and far beyond.”

At Big Ten Media Days in Chicago last month, Durkin said his team would deliberate over a suitable memorial for McNair. With the Terps’ Sept. 1 season opener nearing, members of Maryland’s football program, under the instruction of interim head coach Matt Canada, unveiled that plan Monday.

The whole announcement lasted about three minutes before the team filed back out of Cole Field House to prepare for practice once m o re . B u t e ve n d u r i n g games, McKennie said, McNair’s memory will remain with the team.

“This season, Jordan’s spirit will be living within each and every one of us,” McKennie, a junior offensive lineman, said. “Every play we make, every snap we take, will be in Jordan’s h o n o r. A s I s a i d a t t h e funeral, Jordan was fearless. He was a dreamer. He would do anything for his teammates. He fought to his very last breath for his teammates.”

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MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2018

sports | 11

FIELD HOCKEY

forward linnea gonzales scored two goals in a one-minute span late against Cal on Sunday, giving the Terps plenty of cushion in their 5-0 win over the Golden Bears, which Maryland had led by just one at halftime. marquise mckine / the diamondback

forward sabrina rhodes has been the facilitator on many of Maryland’s penalty corners this season, and the Terps have had great success in the early stages, scoring five goals off corners in their first two games. matt regan / the diamondback

Terps shut out Cal in 5-0 win Maryland’s defense hasn’t allowed a goal in 2018, leading to pair of opening-weekend wins Maryland field hockey forward Linnea Gonzales had just one shot in Lila Bromberg the fi rst 60 minutes of action against @lilabbromberg California, but on a breakaway late in Staff writer the second half, the senior finished past Golden Bears goalkeeper Danielle Mentink for her second goal in under a minute, polishing off the Terps’ second straight victory.

Gonzales’ two late scores helped secure No. 4 Maryland’s 5-0 win for its second shutout of the year, and give the Terps a comfortable win after entering halftime with just a one-goal lead.

“We just brought the intensity during the second half,” Gonzales said. “We really stepped it up on our press and that energy was contagious. So everyone [fed] off of that and it just happened to go in.”

Cal was coming off a 5-1 win over Providence, but the Terps shut down the Golden Bears’ offense Sunday.

Maryland goalkeeper Noelle Frost saw just two shots by

on goal and saved both.

Coach Missy Meharg said the team emphasized defending California forward Megan Rodgers going into the matchup. Rodgers got two shots off in the first half, so during the break Meharg told her team to double down on her for the rest of the matchup.

Meharg credited the shutout to her team’s secondhalf adjustments.

And while the Terps’ defense was stifling the Golden Bears’ attack, Maryland’s offense took control.

Forward Sabrina Rhodes was a driving force for the Terps, having a hand in the team’s first three goals.

The senior put the ball in play on the team’s penalty corners, and the Terps scored three of the six corners taken by Rhodes.

“That shows how hard she’s been working all season,” Gonzales said. “It’s really good to see her coming in strong this season. … She’s grown a lot and it’s showing.”

Defender Nike Lorenz also continued to shine early in her college career. After having all three goals for the Terps in their first game of the season, Lorenz — a junior from Germany in her first year of NCAA field hockey — put the Terps ahead midway through the first half on a penalty corner.

She scored again in the second half, converting her fifth goal of the season.

Lorenz gave the team the edge that Gonzales added to late. She earned the first on a scrum near the right post of the net, while her second came less than a minute later on an unassisted breakaway.

Defender Sophie Giezeman gave Maryland its other goal off of a deflection on a penalty corner a little over three minutes into the second half.

“We are so lucky,” Meharg said, “because we’ve got three very potent attack penalty corner options.” sportsdbk@gmail.com

SOCCER

Terps draw Navy, 0-0 by

The MaryAlex Rychwalski land women’s @arychwal soccer team was outStaff writer p l a y e d f o r much of its Sunday game at Navy.

But with just seconds remaining in the second overtime period, midfielder Sydney Staier ran onto the end of a through ball and rolled a would-be winner toward the far post.

Instead, the ball trickled wide, and the final whistle sounded on a 0-0 draw, ending a contest Maryland was fortunate to extend to extra time but that ultimately concluded with a heartwrenching near-miss.

After an early Maryland scoring opportunity by midfielder Hope Lewandoski in the first five minutes, the Midshipmen dominated possession in the early stages.

The Terps struggled to connect passes in the midfield, frequently turning the ball over and putting pressure on their own defense. Maryland withheld the onslaught,

though, holding the scoreline level despite being outshot 8-2 in the first half.

But only two of Navy’s shots were on target, and goalkeeper Rachel Egyed was up to the challenge on both. Maryland defenders continually cleared the Midshipmen’s dangerous crosses into the box.

The team’s offense played better in the second half, controlling the ball in the midfield with more success than earlier, but was still o u ts h o t 5 -1 d u r i n g t h e period.

In overtime, midfielder Anissa Mose missed wide on two opportunities before forward Jarena Harmon beat Navy goalkeeper Sydney Fortson only to hit the top of the bar. The Terps doubled their shot total from regulation in the first 10-minute overtime period.

Then, with mere seconds to play, Staeir had one last look, but missed just wide. sportsdbk@gmail.com

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12 | SPORTS

MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2018

THIS WEEK’S GAMES

TWEET OF THE WEEK Aug. 24

Men's Soccer

That oatmeal chocolate chip cookie at Pot Belly

24 Washington

Maryland

@TorreySmithWR, former Maryland wide receiver Torrey Smith

Women's Soccer

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Aug. 26

Maryland Navy

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FOOTBALL

jordan mcnair timeline Jordan McNair collapsed in May and died two weeks later. Here’s what followed.

Timeline roughly to scale | Read our full coverage at ter.ps/jordanmcnair

heatstroke Jordan McNair, a rising sophomore offensive lineman, suffers heatstroke at the football team’s first workout of the summer. He’s airlifted to R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.

mcnair dies

MAY 29

announcement The university says McNair has been hospitalized. The statement says he’s in “critical but stable condition,” and does not say when or why he was taken to the hospital.

JUNE 4

JUNE 13

McNair dies, 15 days after collapsing from heatstroke. The university says he had trouble recovering from a “basic conditioning exercise” but doesn’t say the cause of death.

JUNE 19

cause of death

umd hires investigator A spokesperson says the university has hired Walters Inc., a sports medicine consulting firm, to review the athletic department’s safety protocols. The review is slated to last until September.

JULY 16

The website for a foundation created

by McNair’s parents says he died of heatstroke. The university doesn’t confirm the cause of death.

family hires law firm The Washington Post reports that McNair’s family has hired the law firm Murphy, Falcon and Murphy to look into a potential lawsuit against the university.

JULY 19

vote of confidence At Big Ten Media Days, football coach DJ Durkin says he’s confident in the team’s safety procedures, adding that some policies have changed since McNair’s death.

JULY 24

national headlines

AUG. 10

staff changes In response to ESPN’s reports, the university places football coach DJ Durkin and three other staffers on administrative leave. One of the staffers, strength and conditioning coach Rick Court, subsequently resigns.

AUG. 11

AUG. 14

board of regents convenes The University System of Maryland Board of Regents votes to take control of the task force, which expands to eight members, as well as the Walters Inc. review.

AUG. 17

ESPN publishes two explosive articles about Maryland football.

Players say coaches harass them and push them past their physical limits; some attribute McNair’s death in part to the culture of the program.

‘mistakes were made’ In a press conference, President Wallace Loh says the university accepts “legal and moral responsibility” for McNair’s death and outlines a plan for a four-person task force to investigate the football program’s culture.

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