Illinois settles with female athletes, ex-coach Beckman

Posted April 12, 2016 1:00 am

Associated Press

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - The University of Illinois has announced a pair of settlements involving former female basketball players who sued the school and its former football coach, Tim Beckman.

Campus officials said Tuesday that the seven former players will receive a one-time payment of $375,000 to split among them. The University of Illinois Board of Trustees must approve the settlement. The women sued in 2015, claiming basketball coaches created a racially hostile environment. The women, through their attorney Terry Ekl, said in a statement that they're happy "no other student athlete may have to experience what we have."

The school also said Beckman would receive a one-time payment of $250,000, which doesn't need approval from trustees. Allegations of player abuse led the school to fire Beckman a week before last season started.

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